Aquarian Wings
by ShenendoahKami
Summary: After the war ended, seven years passed, and now the thirteen who once knew the pain of death and destruction face it once more, but this time, without the Gundam, and without two of their closest comrades. RR PLEASE!
1. Chapter One In the Middle

**Aquarian Wings**

By Ashley R Taloff

'The space between the wicked lies we tell, and hope to keep safe from the pain'

**Past Time AC 204**

Relena Peacecraft stood in the quiet office, taking in the silence with a deep breath and trying to exhale her unhappiness.

It didn't, couldn't, and wouldn't leave her. Damn this job, she thought unmercifully.

Then cringed at herself in chagrin; she was blasphemous in her own right, damning the job that she had taken upon herself. It was a job that, for nearly a year, she had taken on for the wrong reasons. It wasn't until a young child had shown her the true reflections of humanity.

Humanity was something Relena tried to patiently teach. How to share, how to love, how to behave gracefully.

Tiny, shaking legs, eager to walk, but afraid to fall.

Hundreds of bullies to win over; hundreds of hearts to soothe.

She sighed. Gently hugging the worn teddy bear tighter to her chest, smelling him on it and felt a catchy breathe release itself. Tears, unwanted, gently slid down her cheek, coursing slowly from eye to chin to the soft fur of the momento Heero Yuy had given her.

"Oh, Heero."

* * *

**Past Time AC 199**

Heero Yuy tapped on the wooden arm rest of the lobby chair. Lady was taking forfrickinever, and he was already late. He glanced at his watch again.

"BloodyHell . . ." he muttered under his breath. His best friends were going murder him. He smiled at the thought of their two year old son laughing as mother and father argued with the boy's 'uncle' playfully.

And then Lady appeared, apologetic and asking him to please accompany her into her plush Preventers office.

Thirty minutes later, he smiled and laughed as she cracked a very naughty joke. Marian wouldn't ever allow such dirty talk in their house, so he let himself reiterate one of his own.

A polite knock interrupted the punch line.

Two security guards and three policemen walked in, and the two ex-soldiers rose; Heero pulling the gun out of the invisible holster on his chest. There was a solemness about the guards and police officers that made him worry.

"Mr. Yuy, there is something we need to tell you."

Heero's eyes narrowed.

"What is this all about, gentlemen?" Lady asked, none too politely.

The police shifted under the angered glares of the two most powerful people in Europa.

Another officer, by the name of Walters, started with a stutter. "M-Mister Yuy, the Maxwells . . ."

In less than two seconds, Heero had leapt across Commander Lady Une's enormous office to wrap his hands around Lieutenant Walters's pale neck. He bared his teeth and it wouldn't have surprised anyone to hear a primitive growl escape from the ex-Gundam Pilot. Heero's blue eyes glittered dangerously. "What about Duo and Sylvia . . ."

Walters's eyes were wide and scared. "There's . . . b-b-been in an accident . . ."

Another officer placed a shaking hand on Yuy's shoulder. "I'm sorry Mr. Yuy, there's noth- . . ." His calm voice deteriorated in the young man's head.

Heero's legs buckled and he slid to the ground, letting go of Walters's neck.

* * *

**Past Time AC 201**

Adrian sighed and finished wiping down the ugly plastic counter. It was a hideous, cracking, sour egg dotted plastic counter, but at least it didn't have any tell tale smells of alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, or cigarette smoke in it yet. She was careful to keep those smells away.

Of course, spending weekends away meant spending Monday nights scrubbing away her mother's bingeing sprees with all things intoxicating.

Adrian hated weekends, much preferring to stay with a friend or the local youth hostel. Weekends meant dealing with her mother at her worst. Angry, disillusioned with it; so much so that Adrian became the very thing her mother despised.

Adrian's father.


	2. Chapter Two Requests of My Eyes

**Aquarian Wings**

By Ashley R Taloff

"In my heart I'll always see you soar above the sky."

**_Chapter Two: Requests of my Eyes_**

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

Relena walked downstairs quietly, so as to not wake up Aquarius, who had fallen asleep on the library couch while studying Biology the night before. Relena had pulled the thick book from under the pretty teenager's face and placed it, paged marked, on the dusty blue carpet covered floors of the warm room.

Relena stifled a yawn with her long fingered hand, then carefully wiped the sleep dust from her tear ducts.

She walked into the dining room and poured herself a cup of coffee and picked up the paper, her eyes wandering over the headlines. Relena inhaled the warm steam from the coffee and sighed in utter bliss. It had been a peaceful week, with absolutely no transgressions of any variety. At least not any more than were usual. There was the pang of loneliness and the inexplicable worry that she had spent eight years of her life doing something that was virtually impossible to achieve, but nothing that she hadn't dealt with before.

Aquarius stepped into the room, scratching a hand through her rosewood brown hair and glancing around the dining room absently. "Morning Mom . . ." she said, the words distorted by a yawn.

Relena smiled softly. "Morning Aquarius, up late last night?"

Aquarius grinned sleepily as she replied, "Have to keep those grades up."

The blonde woman nodded softly, then looked up as Mrs. Anderson, their housekeeper for most of Relena's life, walked in with two plates of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and cinnamon rolls. Relena could see Aquarius's eyes widen and she herself felt her own stomach give a quick tighten as if to say, 'Me hungry, want food.'

The two sat down and began to eat in a comfortable peace.

Aquarius looked up, "Can I have the front page when you're done, Mom?"

Relena smiled and handed it over. "I'm finished with it, but you're going to have to wait on the comics, because those are mine next."

They smiled at one another and went back to the soft morning silence they were accustomed to while reading the morning news.

And then the bay window shattered into thousands of pieces, broken by a brick that slammed into the hardwood table, smashing it and causing splinters to fly. Gunshot rang out, and Relena listened to her gut, side tackling Aquarius and pulling her down to the floor. Relena watched as the beautiful Andrew Wyeth paintings in their dining room were shredded into slits of color, chunks of wall went flying, and part of Aquarius's bell collection were destroyed.

Mrs. Anderson ran out into the dining room, gasping and shrieking, then screaming as four bullets hit her body.

A fifth imbedded itself into her skull, exploding the left side of her face and sending brain matter spraying onto the dove gray walls.

* * *

**Preventers HQ**

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

Lady walked out of her office in Preventers HQ that morning with a bad coffee hangover and an even worse feeling in her gut. Something bad had happened, but she wouldn't know what it was because her retardedly overprotective secretary had unplugged all the phone lines and hid the cords.

She was determined to find said secretary and drag her back to HQ, ASAP.

But, much to her dismay, she found out what had happened in the worst way possible. Reporters of every variety stood outside on HQ steps, hanging from the pillars, on top of vans, crammed into every nook and cranny known, and unknown, to this section of the bureau.

Dozens of questions were thrown at her in a chaotic, deafening wall.

"Commander Lady Une, do you know who . . ."

"Lady, can you tell us what exact- . . ."

"How is the bureau going to . . ."

"What are your plans . . ."

"Are there any suspects . . ."

"Lady . . ."

"Commander Une . . ."

"Commander!"

"Commander Une has nothing to comment on," answered a roughened voice.

Lady was surprised to find herself being dragged back into Preventers by a pair of strong arms and only being able to see another darkly dressed man carrying a young boy of about 7-9 years.

She found that her ears were ringing and her limbs numb. The few words that she had recognized were 'Relena and Aquarius Peacecraft' and 'Killed.'

Her hand felt the fabric of the man's sleeve, and her mind started to overload when she saw the face of the man. Heero Yuy. "Relena . . . Aquarius . . . are . . ."

Heero's eyes glittered. "Fine. Or at least as fine as two people who've been through that can be. We've hidden them. Aquarius didn't see much because Relena protected her from the gun-fire."

Lady rubbed her cold cheek, but her hands felt colder. "Where . . . how . . ."

Heero squatted down and looked at the woman's haggard face. "Lady, my sources are good. Wu Fei and Kai-Ling have the two at a safe house. There's a lot more to it, but first, I'd like to know if you've got a really comfy couch anywhere."

Lady ran a hand through her hair. "In the coffee lobby. There is a big one there."

Heero smiled and scooped up the little boy, whose long blonde hair was captured in a thick plaited braid. Quickly he walked to the room that she had pointed to.

Aramis. Aramis Maxwell.

Heero had been given Duo and Sylvia's child.

Lady took hold of that memory stand and drew herself back to sanity.

* * *

**SafeHouse in English Countryside**

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

Wu Fei entered the safehouse after thoroughly checking the grounds. His face, like the other Gundam Pilots, had matured seven years, making him now a man. At that moment, he felt anything but. Merien would yell at him now for his inability to strike. All he did now was hide from the assassins in a safehouse. Where was the strength in that?

Oh, but Wu Fei knew. Relena Peacecraft/Darlien and her daughter were precious to the world; keeping them safe was what should be done.

But dammit, it sucked to be running from bastards.

Kai whipped around the corner, training a spatula at his head. He lifted a brow.

"You've caught me," he monotoned, a smile playing about his lips. Kai was the child prodigy in Preventers. A young woman officer at 20; yet she wasn't arrogant, instead was creative, kind, and tough as nails.

And the only person other than Merien who made him feel like his stomach disappeared when she smiled at him.

Kai's eyes glittered with laughter. She was the daughter of a Scottish author and Chinese CEO; the only part of her father she got were those vivid green eyes and his temper. The rest of her, from her straight black hair to her tiny feet, screamed Oriental.

"Sir, I'm sorry, I think I'm going to have to shoot you."

Wu Fei wondered what she was going to 'shoot' him with. But because he liked the feeling of stepping into a house with her in it, waiting for him, Wu Fei played along. "Oh, no, please, Miss, don't shoot me," he said without changing tone.

Kai's full lips pulled into a grin as she pulled the spatula head back and let go.

Wu Fei was hit head on with a large spoonful of scrambled eggs.

And the war ensued.

Aquarius found them cleaning the mess up twenty minutes later.

Wu Fei saw her first and turned slowly. Kai saluted, as was proper. "Ma'am."

Aquarius nodded softly and added, "Kai, it is fine if you don't salute. There are things of more importance now. Saluting me is of little consequence."

Wu Fei looked at the youth with gentle eyes. Since Aquarius had been adopted by Relena, things had changed, become better. Relena's loneliness had ebbed, and all who were new to the pair actually believed Relena to be Aquarius's biological mother, not a surprise though, considering the rumors that soaked trashy 'zines.

Wu Fei had been lightly assigned to protect the two after the assassination of Duo Maxwell and Sylvia Noventa-Maxwell. Two years later, after the attempt on the lives of Zechs and Lucrezia Marquise, Kai-Ling Takamai had been added to his team. And now, the month Relena Peacecraft/Darlian was to be inaugurated into Foreign Minister of Earth, the assassin returned.

Unfortunately, two lives had already been taken. How many more would die before they caught him?

"Fei . . ." she whispered softly.

Wu Fei felt a tug on his heart. Aquarius was like a daughter to him. He just hoped that Kai would never discover this weakness. "Yes, Riu?"

Aquarius bit her lip softly. "Is mom okay?"

"I'm fine. Bit sore, though."

The three turned to see Relena looking calm and collected; standing on the landing with her head held high. She descended quietly, step by graceful step, and walked to Aquarius, embracing her daughter.

Wu Fei saw Relena's eyes glitter with tears as she pet Riu's straight hair.

Kai looked away from Aquarius's sobbing with shame in her green eyes. Damn the bastard who had done this. The Peacecraft's were kind and did a hell of a lot more for mankind than did the average Joe Shmoe and never once asked for thanks. She would personally make sure that she ripped this fuck a new asshole when she discovered who he was.

Relena controlled her own urge to cry. She had stayed in her room for almost an hour, trying to control her need to scream, to rage, to sob, to seek any form of solace from another human. So she had held the bear Heero had given her. He sent her a new one every other year and this one still smelled of him. His warm, musky aftershave clung to the fur. Relena had cried for Mrs. Anderson. For Mr. Anderson. For the life that she could not protect. The unfairness of it all frightened her. The possibility of losing Aquarius nearly felled her in its own right.

She would die for her daughter.

Catching Wu Fei's eyes, she mouthed the words, _'I need to know what's happening. Can you give Aquarius a shot of Valium?'_

Kai, standing beside her partner, nodded slowly. She grabbed the garbage bag of eggs and walked into the kitchen to dispose of her memories and find the aid kit.

Relena hold the warm cup of tea between her two pale, cold hands. "It's happening again . . . Isn't it, Fei?"

Wu Fei looked off into the distance, which, in Kai's mind, was much further than the pastel flowered wallpaper. She longed to reach out and lightly squeeze his hand, but that would be crossing the line that neither of them had the courage to do.

"From what the Preventers gather, yes. The perp moves in cycles. Every two and a half years, he strikes out at us." Wu Fei's dark eyes closed as he monotoned the words he'd been given by Preventers. It was sad, that when it came down to it, he said it to himself so often it was no longer a hesitation. He found himself remembering Lucrezia and Zehcs in the hospital, Zia for her miscarriage, Zechs for taking a shot that would've killed his wife; remembering the grisly sight of Duo holding Sylvia. Remembering Duo's blood soaked words; remembering Aramis's sad violet eyes, which hauntingly reminded him of Fei's dead brother.

Who next?

"What of the others?" Relena bit her lip, fighting off the memories of past assassinations and the attempts on her brother and sister-in-law. Sylvia's son. Her god-son. Aramis.

_Hold them back, Relena, you are stronger than that._

Kai, finding herself far too curious of the dark memories lurking in Fei and Relena's eyes, changed the subject. "We are to move out. 1900 hours."

Fei's eyes widened. "When did we get the order?" he asked, hiding most of the shock.

"Commander Une sent it while you were tending to Ms. Peacecraft/Darlian's daughter," she replied, wonderingly aware of the odd look that crossed the Vice Foreign Minister's face. "We are to go to Mannheim."

Wu Fei nodded, and Relena found herself clicking off Mannheim's statistics, including the civilian unknowns.

A large Preventers GeoCity base was in Mannheim.

Kai noted the far-away look in Relena's eyes. "Ma'am, you can still rest. We'll wake you up when it's time to leave."

Relena looked up. "We'll need to ready ourselves for disguise, will we not?"

Kai nodded. "You and your daughter will be acting as young best friends. Special Agent Chang and I will act as though we are in a relationship."

* * *

**Present Time**

**1758 hours**

**Mannheim GeoCity Base**

**Deutschlandes (Austria, Denmark, Germany)**

Une stared blindly at the read outs. Dammit dammit dammit.

There was nothing, no leads, just a bloodbath without the footprints. She wished for something, anything, that could help them. But all that was here and tangible was a small letter with no fingerprints and no DNA traces.

_RosEs are red,_

_vioLEts are blue,_

_aNd one Ant crawlS,_

_DYING SOON._

Child's play, a child's taunt in writing.

'Relena's Dying Soon.'

* * *

**Present Time**

**2015 hours**

**Europa Subway Track U6**

Relena pushed up her glasses, which were, despite the shocked looks from Wu Fei and Kai, prescription. She had worn contacts, since the loss of sight was caused during the first few years of her work. Slight changes frightened the public, and no one except Mrs. Anderson and Aquarius knew of them.

Ah, but she couldn't forget Heero. He knew.

Her hand ached from holding the plastic loop, and she itched beneath the wool fabric. Aquarius sat four seats ahead of her, and Wu Fei and Kai were avidly necking behind her.

A small grin twitched at her lips.

Their attraction wasn't noticeable to most, seeing as how most didn't see them on a regular, interactive basis.

Relena and Aquarius, in previous times, had placed bets on when the two would finally take advantage of one another. Apparently this unorthodox assignment would be it.

They had been a bit uncomfortable with one another first, Kai had sat wooden and

Wu Fei kept silent and looking anywhere but at her. Eventually they began touching, then one thing led to another, and here they were, two minutes from the stop, the _last_ stop, and the two bodyguards wouldn't come up for air.

This made Relena more nervous than she cared to recognize. She couldn't really bend over to ask or tell them anything, because that would give her away. There were tons of people who weren't making out that she could ask questions to. So she silently chewed the inside of her cheek and waited for the train to lurch to a halt.

* * *

**Past Time**

**AC 200**

**Londonderry, Europa**

Heero stared at the bill and wondered exactly how he would fit into this lifestyle.

The mansion was huge.

When you added one hundred acres of land, besides the mansion, it could probably have its own area code.

Gardens, pools, maids, game rooms . . .

"Labyrinths, rollercoaster parks, graveyards, a small suburb . . ." Heero whispered under his breath sarcastically.

After the funeral, Heero had stayed in his apartment and ignored the doorbell and phone. Eventually he unplugged the phone and rewired the doorbell, and then, before anything else came to pass, he jammed a random key in the outside lock of his door so no one could get in.

He didn't give a damn about anyone. There was this empty void where Duo and Sylvia once lived, that, Heero believed, would never again be filled.

They had been vibrant, beautiful, warm people. People who threw parties to throw them, people who could one night have a black tie affair, the next, a backyard barbecue. Nobody questioned them, because nobody cared. They were friendly to all. Until one night, Heero had been too late, and they had died because of him.

_Too late._

He remembered that evil whisper.

He remembered how Wu Fei, Trowa, and Quatre had beat down the door. Quatre, out of them all, was the most pissed, next coming Trowa, and then coming Wu Fei. They fought, and Heero had gotten his second scar.

And in the end, they told him about Duo and Sylvia's Testament. How Heero and one other beneficiary had each received one fourth of the Noventa-Maxwell fortune. And how Heero had been given something even more precious.

Aramis.

He realized after starting to take care of Aramis that children did two things to soldiers. One, they made you overly protective, two, they made you act completely out of character in the most important times.

Two weeks after Aramis began living with him, Heero decided that a tiny apartment didn't cut it for a child. So he decided to go house shopping.

Instead he decided to buy this big ass monster . . .

No, this wasn't a house, but it was a place that Aramis and he could fill with life. A place that Aramis could feel free and loved. Someplace Heero had always wanted.

* * *

**Present Time**

**204 AC**

**2047 hours**

**Preventers Mannheim GeoCity Base**

**Deutschlandes (Denmark, Austria, Germany)**

Heero was roused from his slumber by Aramis moving. The nine year old murmured in his sleep and then cuddled into Heero's chest. For the umpteen trillionth time, Heero felt his heart melt and harden simultaneously at the first warmth of parental love, and then the ice cold anger to kill the bastard who threatened his son.

Heero let his hand brush away the down soft blonde hair from Aramis's forehead and held the boy gently. His son.

A noise came from the doorway.

Heero's eyes looked up and widened.

His angel.

She stood there, real, he realized, and gazing at him.

Suddenly he resisted the urge to fix his hair, he always tried to do that. It was odd, she never minded his mused hair. He'd never told her that he was afraid she'd think he was scum if he didn't comb it.

She was so beautiful, even now, after seeing what she'd seen.

Relena felt her diaphragm implode within herself. He was bathed in soft, warm lamplight and cuddling a small child.

Theirs?

No.

Duo and Sylvia's . . . Aramis.

The second chance that Relena couldn't take.

She felt her eyes trace the small child's facial features. Duo's big eyes and eyebrows, Sylvia's roman nose and mouth, and Duo's dimples, which never, even in rest, disappeared.

Then Relena let herself look at Heero.

He was so beautiful.

His gorgeous lips were parted, just a bit, in shock. And his tousled hair, even now, still remained untamed by comb or scissors. The wolf blue eyes were gentle now, and she saw some apprehension, as well as something else, lurking in the depths.

* * *

_Now it is most of the European Countries in the United Europe group. You've heard of the Euro? (it's a new currency coming out so that if you are in, persay, France, then go to Germany, you don't have to exchange monies immediately/get harassed) Most of those countries ( i.e.: England, France, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands) but not all of them, as those who know of the Euro, are part of Europa. As you can tell, Deutschlandes is Austria, Denmark, and Germany; Switzerland is still alone (it is something I think would occur, because of its constant 'neutrality' beliefs). Portugal and Spain make up 'Espania Unita.'(If 'United' is something else in Spanish, someone tell me, Spanish is not my language . . .) Ireland is one country, not separated by North and South._


	3. Chapter Three Now Here I Stand

**Aquarian Wings**

By: A.R. Taloff

'The universe is resting in my arms . . .'

**_Chapter Three: Now Here I Stand

* * *

_**

**The Past**

**AC 198**

**Charlemagne Hospital, Delivery Room L34**

**Main Street, New London, Europa**

"Sir, it's . . ."

"Yes."

"Oh, she'll be so crushed . . ." the middle aged nurse whispered softly, covering her eyes with one hand.

The doctor nodded, gently cradling the baby in his arms. It's eyes, possbily blue as their mother's, would never open, the dark, almost black hair of the father's would never feel a breeze blowing through it.

The unnamed child of Relena Darlien-Peacecraft would never know the unrequited love of a family.

"Nurse, please try to revive Ms. Darlien-Peacecraft."

The woman stared, brown eyes wide. "But . . . but sir . . ." she stuttered.

The doctor shot her a no-nonsense look. "She needs to know."

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Deutschlandes (Denmark, Germany, Austria)**

**Mannheim GeoCity Base**

Aquarius fell asleep immediately, but not before seeing Ruth's cruel blue eyes, and cigarette hoarse voice laughing.

And downstairs, Relena and Heero just stared at one another, transfixed and utterly terrified.

The last time they had been physically and knowingly around the other was nearly seven years ago. Both remembered the exchange well.

And both remembered the end.

"Heero . . ."

To his ears, it was the most magical sound on earth. His name, on her voice, nearly brought him to his knees. It always had that capability. Her soothing words, soft eyes, comforting smile. Everything. He loved her.

Heero had never allowed himself to love another human being. There was too much at risk, particularly his heart. He'd given himself to the cause of saving lives, of protecting the people. She'd said that that was a version of love. A kind of love that transcended superficiality, race, and status. A love that was grand.

But not, he later discovered, the most grand and beautiful of them all.

The love that is unequal to another, even, he discovered, the love of a son.

Duo had called it, 'The Super Duper Never Fail Forever Times Infinity Squared Out of This World Out of the Ballpark Hit World Series Love.'

And Duo was the only person Heero knew that he would ever meet who had known how to name it.

Heero felt Aramis stir again, and soon he was staring down at big eyes of violet. "Dad?"

Heero gathered the blonde boy close to him, and Relena leaned against the casing of the door. Heero and Aramis. Heero and Gwenhywfer. That was the name she chose for their daughter. The original spelling of Gwenivere, her little princess.

Relena rubbed her stomach gently. So long ago.

She had quenched her loneliness when she adopted Aquarius, who could pass as her daughter, simply because of the rumors that had once flown about the Vice Foreign Minister and pilot of Wing Zero; even though Aquarius was a sophomore in Preparatory schools.

Heero still held the small boy tight in his arms. His eyes lifted and through still thick eyelashes, he saw Relena watching. Relena. He hadn't stopped thinking about her. Even when he wanted to die for need of her, to die from unhappiness at her obvious distaste for him, he still dreamed of waking up next to her.

Of having that family he never knew he craved.

She had never pressed him. Never said a word to the effect that she expected him to stay with her. Relena only wanted now.

Or, then, as it had been.

Aramis had shown him how much that family life meant to Heero. Aramis, crawling in bed to be near safety. Aramis, wanting s'mores, teaching Heero that fine art of making them in the Microwave. Aramis and the laughter that filled that monstrosity of a house. Aramis and the stick figure drawings that cluttered the refrigerator.

The only thing Heero lacked was Relena.

And here she was. Watching in a way that reminded Heero of a person who had spent three days in the desert to discover an oasis. A person who was starving for the same thing he did.

Heero had authorized himself to keep a close PI on her. He needed to know about Relena, at least have some form of indirect knowledge. Aquarius Julianna Renata Darlien-Peacecraft. Romanian, Spanish, French, and Relena. Her daughter.

Wu Fei scrubbed himself in the shower. It was tranquil and silent, except for the beating of hot water on his travel dirty skin.

Then he nearly screamed in fright when the emergency buzzer sounded. It was from Kai's room.

More quickly than he wanted to think about, Wu Fei launched himself out of the warm water's spray and into the cold air, a towel, and pounded down the hallway to Kai's room.

She was in a tank top and 'WeekDay' underwear, proudly saying 'Saturday' on them, even though it was Thursday; when he slammed open the door.

Kai turned and stared at Wu Fei's face, amazed at how quickly he turned fiery red in utter embarrassment.

"Wu Fei . . . you're . . . not . . . wearing . . . I mean . . ." she quickly shut up. She wasn't wearing much herself.

Wu Fei tried to cover as much as he could with the very inadequately sized towel.

"I . . . the buzzer sounded." He gestured weakly with one hand.

Kai looked around and saw the buzzer lying on the bed she had just done a celebratory mid air flip onto. Why she had given into the base urge to go psycho after the afternoon and morning of making out with Wu Fei, she didn't know, but now, she wished she hadn't. God, but he looked sexy in just that undersized towel. "Oh . . . uh . . . it must . . . I must've sat on it or something." She tried to calm the mussed hair. _Yes, Kai, sat on it. After you headbanged to silence, which explains the messy hair . . . Great job._

Wu Fei looked around in nervousness. Gods . . . she looked really pretty in that outfit.

Kai bit her lip with anxiety, trying to subtly calm her hair without looking too insane. _Dumb dumb dumb, Kai . . ._

Then he walked out and shut the door.

Her huge green eyes shot wide open. Then she heard a soft thump, and moved closer to the wooden door.

Wu Fei's voice came through a bit muffled, and she leaned closer. "What did you say, Wu Fei?"

"I said, you look beautiful. I'm sorry about today. Good night."

Kai turned her head to rest her forehead against the cool wood. "Oh, Wu Fei, I had a good time today . . ."

She listened for his response, but the only sound was her ears buzzing with silence.

Kai opened the door and peeked outside just in time to see Wu Fei's door shut.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Deutschlandes**

**Mannheim GeoCity Base**

**0103 hours**

A shrill scream woke Heero up from his slumber. He recognized that Aramis was next to him, sleeping soundly. So whose scream had he heard?

Heero gently extracted himself from the tight grip that Aramis had around his waist, then padded to his robe. Marian, the nanny and House Chief of the mansion, had never allowed Heero to do anything like walk around in his underwear, even when it was midnight and he was checking on a strange noise or getting the phone or going to Aramis's room. Old habits die hard.

Heero quietly opened the door and walked to where he estimated the scream had come from.

The door at the end of the hall stood open, small moonbeams dancing over the rug an creating a haunting emptiness, lacing small dust particles, kicked up by ventilation, that twinkled as they hit the light.

Peering in, he saw long golden hair, accented by the moonlight, falling over white robed shoulders. A girl with dark brown hair shimmering with red and gold huddled on the golden haired woman's lap, sobbing.

"She came for me again, swinging her pan. There's nothing I could do . . . mommy don't . . ."

The woman gently rubbed circles on the sobbing girl's back.

Relena and Aquarius. He realized. But . . . who came for her?

"She swore and screamed, hit me . . . then she broke my bell, the special one I bought with my own money . . . she said it wasn't right to get gifts from boys . . . they just want to screw you . . . make your life miserable . . . she wouldn't listen . . ."

He watched Relena, whose eyes looked so old, so tired. She was feeling the pain that Aquarius radiated with her whispered retelling of the nightmare. Who was Aquarius?

The nightmare continued until the screaming woman lay bloody on the floor. Ten minutes later, Aquarius fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Heero looked to the ground. How horrible. A young girl with all that hurt. So much pain. When he finally found the courage to look up and walk away, he felt Relena's warm eyes on him. She knew he'd been there, listening.

"I won't tell anything that I saw or heard tonight," he said softly, turning and shutting the door.

Relena, quiet and still rubbing feather light circles on Aquarius's back, nodded as a tear trailed down her cheek.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**0831 hours**

**Deutschlandes (Austria, Denmark, Germany)**

**Mannheim GeoCity Base**

Aramis had woken up early this morning, and immediately wanted something to eat. He had sat on Heero's chest for effect, just to wake his father up.

Aramis had long since discarded calling Heero Uncle, as was probably a bad idea. He'd just called him dad after a few years. Aramis had found out that his true parents were not coming back, because the only time he remembered seeing them after that night was in pictures. He remembered seeing his uncle Heero after his parents had been shot. As opposed to the other three uncles, Wu Fei, Trowa, and Quatre; Heero had looked yucky. His hair was longer and tangled, he'd grown a beard and mustache, and his eyes were bloodshot. That was the worst Aramis ever remembered seeing his uncle, and he never wanted to see that weirdo again.

However, Heero was not to be persuaded this morning, and asked Aramis to please remove his person before dangerous measures were taken.

Aramis moved quickly, because, as he knew, with that tone of voice, any number of things could happen. Mainly though, was tickling. His biological father had been extremely ticklish, and as such, had passed that trait on to his son.

"But I'm hungry, and I don't know where anything is."

Heero sighed into his pillow, God, this was not the time to find himself up all night thinking crazy thoughts about Relena. Or her daughter's past. "Aramis . . . dad's a bit dead this morning . . ."

Aramis took to pulling at Heero's fingers. "Come on dad, wake up . . . you can take a nap later . . . come on dad . . . Dad . . ."

Heero tried his damnedest to get out of that dreamscape, the one where he woke up next to Relena's sleep softened face, and found he couldn't. "Aramis . . ."

"Then I'll just go by myself, and get lost . . . I'll do it dad, I'm hungry enough!" Aramis opened their door and stood on the threshold for emphasis. He wanted food, and he wanted it now. Bemusedly, Heero remembered Duo's enormous appetite, and how Aramis had once again taken the qualities of his father.

Heero commanded himself to wake up - and found himself mentally shouting a '_No fucking way in Hell, SIR!_' to the commander in his mind. He moaned softly into his pillow.

"Here, you can come with my mom and I, Aramis," answered a soft voice.

Heero peered through the slits his eyes allowed to find out who his savior was. A tall girl stood just behind a very still Aramis. Her dark hair was tied back into a high ponytail. She wore some loose fitting jeans and a T-shirt that said 'Hunger Task Force of San Diego.' Then Relena came to kneel beside the blonde haired boy.

"Hey, Aramis, remember me?" Relena smiled gently.

Aramis screwed up his face in memory and Heero just couldn't stop staring at the three of them. His mind was an amorphous sleepy jello mass, and he was sure a dorky small smile was plastered on his fuzzy cheeked face at the strange, homey feel that the three of them had.

Aramis remembered the voice vaguely, because it was like his mother's. But most of all, he remembered this woman's, Relena's, hands. They were always bare except for one small, opal stoned ring. He remembered being told by Uncle Trowa what the ring meant, but he didn't remember anymore.

"Yeah, you're the Vice Foreign Minister they talk about all the time. Relena." Aramis didn't really understand the sadness that passed through her very blue eyes, but he felt sorry for it.

Her smile came back though, and she kissed his cheek gently. "I'm pleased to see you again, Aramis. But let's go try to find some food, I'm starving." Relena chanced a glance at Heero, who, she discovered with embarrassment, was staring at her with abandon and a very sexy smile on his face. Had he been doing that the whole time?

* * *

**Past Time**

**AC 200**

**Peacecraft/Darlian Mansion**

**Tokyo, Japan**

Relena laid her head down on her soft bedspread and sighed. Aramis. Her godson. Sylvia had died. Duo had died. Her two best friends were dead. She bit back tears. She couldn't do it. Couldn't take Aramis. She would die. She would think of her . . . their . . .

_ Heero . . . you didn't know . . . because I didn't tell you . . ._

Tears stained the sheets and she bit back the sob that formed a lump in her throat.

"I didn't tell you about Gwenhywfer . . . about how we had a child . . . we could have had . . ." Relena gripped the sheets as pain ripped through her. She remembered the pain during her birth, the pain because the baby wasn't moving, the pain because the baby was dead and she had to do all the work.

_ Dead, Relena, you killed it because you overwork yourself._

_ Dead, Relena, because you can't handle having children._

**_Dead, dead, dead._**

"I'm so worthless . . ." she sobbed to the ceiling.

* * *

**Past Time**

**AC 201**

**Earth Foreign Relations Office Kaze**

**Tokyo, Japan**

Wu Fei watched Relena from the room right above hers. The microphone and cameras from every angle made for pretty boring stuff. He didn't even listen to it because Relena had a horrible habit of talking to herself. It wasn't so bad, he got to hear all the plans she made before she made them, when he did bother to listen. It was enlightening in its own right; but on the whole, boring as all get-out.

Then he started making his pencil turn rubber by moving it in a seesaw pattern with his index finger and thumb.

By noon he was trying to balance it on his nose. Almost . . . almost . . . he thought to himself.

"Gosh, I'm already impressed. The guy that I looked up to does nothing, and I'm assigned his partner."

Wu Fei turned and twisted funny, causing his equilibrium to go nuts and his body to fall to the carpet. Right in front of a pair of nice feet, which led to equally nice ankles, very nice legs . . . and then Wu Fei woke up and realized that this was not a strange dream, but real life.

"If you're done ogling my assets, then perhaps I can introduce myself, Agent Chang." The girl was blushing faintly and Wu Fei felt his own skin get very warm. It was unusual for him to do such preaxolescent things like falling over or appreciating a woman's body. That had been Duo's niche.

"Pardon me, ma'am, but I'm afraid you need ident-," he began.

She held up a badge that labeled her as Kai-Ling O'Riley, Special Agent. "Hi, now that we've proven that I can be up in this exciting room, can we discuss Ms. Darlien/Peacecraft's current situation, analyze what we should do . . ." 'Kai' went on a rambling tangent of things that only rookies would think of, because they were unnecessary things to do.

"Ms. O'Riley, the 'Relena,'" he used his index and middle finger of both hands, in a Duo move, to pretend quotation marks. "Situation is the same it has always been. Relena makes laws, writes them, works out conference plans, discussions, treaties, signs things. That is the Relena Situation." Wu Fei found himself wishing that he hadn't sounded so crabby, because the girl looked downtrodden.

"But . . ."

Wu Fei sighed, "Look, I didn't get assigned to this position, I took it. Just like Trowa works the Colony security, just like Quatre offers his mansions. We are close, us thirteen." He found himself adding Duo and Sylvia, even though they weren't alive. At the same time he realized that after Sylvia and Duo died, they all had become closer. They all changed. With one small rock, ripples had been created, leading to a tighter bound kinship between the eleven of them left. Between even the outer people of their group. Dorothy, Hilde, and Midii, who'd come out of the woodwork to join the Preventers. They were all somehow a family, because none of them had family anymore. Aramis had been their son, and Duo and Sylvia their siblings.

Kai stared through the no-nonsense lenses of her glasses and looked blank. "So . . . you are working a case where your emotions are involved?"

Wu Fei rolled his eyes. "So is Lady, so is Zechs, so are half the people who work around Relena."

Kai's jaw dropped. "Do not refer to our Command-."

Wu Fei lifted a sarcastic black brow. "Apparently Lady wasn't here to tell you about your job personally. She must be at a conference."

Kai stared, her mouth still open.

Wu Fei sighed. Attractive or no, this rookie was going to take a lot of work.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Mannheim GeoCity Base**

**Deutschlandes (Austria, Denmark, Germany)**

**SafeHouse Six**

Relena watched from the balcony of the GeoCity Base SafeHouse. Aquarius had taken Aramis to the park and now they both joined in the mass laughter. She almost allowed herself to believe that Trowa was just taking them to the park to be with his nephew and niece. She almost allowed herself to fall into the dream that her life was normal.

Almost.

Footsteps clicked on the terrace.

She didn't bother turning around. It was Heero or Wu Fei. Their soft footfalls were almost exactly alike.

"Relena."

She let her eyes close as the warm amber tone, like what whiskey would sound like if it were a voice, washed over her. Heero . . .

Heero watched Relena watching her girl. He debated joining her, then shot the delegation to Hell and sat down. The balcony chairs were gilded black, with soft, pastel flowered seats. "So . . . how are you this morning?" _Great Heero, amazing opener._

Relena sipped her coffee thoughtfully. This was so odd. Quaint, as though they were people who saw one another every day. "I am well, I slept soundly last night, and y-"

Heero already saw her denial of anything happening last night coming, before it touched her lips. Relena had a way about her that wanted to protect people. In this case, it was Aquarius from being discovered as whatever she was. He hated that. Did Relena not trust him, did she not think he would risk life and limb for her happiness?

"Don't," he said emphatically. "Don't start with this Relena. We both were there last night, for whatever reasons. I know what I saw. I understand you don't want to discuss this, but I think it would be better for the both of you if you just-."

Relena still had her eyes trained on the park. "No, Heero, no. I will not tell you why Aquarius has the nightmares she has under stress. I will not tell you why some days she lives in terror, while others she is a social butterfly. It is not your-."

Heero already felt an anger building up. "Dammit, Relena, you have always been my concern! Don't you get that! Haven't you seen that! I have always loved you, and done what's best for-."

Relena bit her lip. The bile of distaste was boiling, and sudden her temper cracked. It might have been the lack of sleep from keeping a vigil over Aquarius last night, but for whatever reason, her anger exploded like nothing she'd ever experienced. "What's best for me!" she spat out, standing. "It's always what you think is best for me. Never what I know is best for me!" She slammed the now empty coffee cup on the stone table top; then Relena looked in complete horror at it; had she broken it? She'd never slammed anything. She'd never let her temper loose. And yet Heero always brought out the most tumultuous of emotions in her.

Heero stood up, eye to eye with her. "I have loved you for years. I have stayed out of your way because you didn't want me. I stayed away from you, but I kept Trowa on your back for those same lonely years. Wu Fei knew it, and he just shook his head. Hopefully, now that Kai and he have gotten passed the 'Do you like me, because I like you?' phase, he'll stop shaking his head. Don't you understand or even grasp how much I've wanted you by me? How astonished I was to discover that you didn't want something so wonderful as Aramis? How you just . . ." he stared at the table. "How you didn't want me after what we had. I know you must've thought I didn't want you, or a life with you, and I suppose that's why you stayed away when suddenly there was the chance. You probably thought I'd leave you alone with Aramis."

Heero pushed off the table. He felt empty.

Relena was shaking when he looked up. She was pale, her eyes deep and dark, and it was though she somewhere else, in the past. She bit her lip, trying to control herself. "I . . . couldn't . . . I . . . just . . . Gwenhywfer . . ."

And then, for the second time in his life, Relena Peacecraft/Darlian ran away from him.

* * *

**Present**

**AC 204**

**Der Pastorale Park**

**Deutschlandes (Austria, Denmark, Germany)**

Trowa watched Aquarius push Aramis on the swings. Aramis's long, impossibly blonde braid flailed behind, then in front of, behind, then in front of his body, and his childish hoots reached to the bench where Trowa sat.

Trowa smiled softly at the pair and thought, retrospectively, that Relena and Heero shouldn't have come together. Now, though, they could be married, with these two great kids.

And then another, darker thought crossed his mind. Gwenhywfer.

Trowa had been assigned to Relena before Wu Fei, mainly because Heero and he had become close friends sooner than Wu Fei. Thus, their trust was stronger. Trowa had noticed something wrong with Relena from day one of her 'bedrest' after she collapsed in Vien (Vienne). According to her personal doctor, there was nothing amiss other than running herself to the ground.

According to Trowa, there was something definitely wrong. Relena never collapsed, the one thing that made him respect her was Relena's self knowledge of her limits - she never overstepped them. So, all the sudden she faints?

He watched her carefully, watched her go from one month rest to becoming tediously ill. Relena, ill?

He kept those thoughts to himself, Heero had gotten 'She's just resting.' for a message. But now, something was really wrong. That worry began to blossom to truth as he caught up with Midii, who had trained as a doctor under the Preventers, and discovered that Relena was pregnant.

Trowa remembered how his stomach had suddenly felt as though someone had ripped it out and was dancing the tango on it.

* * *

**Past Time**

**AC 198**

**Winner Mansion**

**Vien (Vienne)**

**Deutschlandes (Austria, Denmark, Germany)**

Relena gently felt her protruding stomach. In one month she'd begin to feel kicking movements.

The door opened. "Midii?" Relena asked quietly from the bathroom. When no one answered, she stepped out into her room.

A tall shadow loomed before her, and she instinctively reached for a weapon.

"Relena, it's just me."

Trowa's voice, like the other pilots', had become indelible in Relena's mind. She couldn't understand how he managed to grow almost a foot in height since last year. And then it hit her. Trowa must have known, or he wouldn't have made an appearance. Unless it was Heero. Oh God, Heero, the baby wouldn't ever know it's . . .

Oh God.

Trowa was happy. His lips were in a soft smile. He wasn't here to be the harbinger, he was here to . . . congratulate.

She stepped forward, holding out a hand in a calming way. "Trowa . . . it's . . . it's not how-."

Trowa's eyebrows lifted. "How it looks?" He stepped up to Relena and led her to the table and chairs placed in the luxurious bedroom, and gently pushed her into a soft cushioned seat.

"Well . . ." she searched for something to say that would be intelligent.

"Truth be told, Relena," Trowa began, controlling the laughter from her obvious want to cover up what was definitely a pregnancy. "It's wonderful. Do you know that Sylvia and Duo and everyone else have been rooting for you and Heero for years? Everybody loves it. Well, for some of us, it took longer, but on the-."

Suddenly his words died off at the look in her eyes. Pure, unadultured fear. "Oh no. No. Trowa, you can't. This, this is a secret. No one can know the Vice Foreign Minister had a baby. Heero can't know he got me pregnant. No." She shook her head definitively.

Trowa looked at Relena, who looked somewhere between near tears and desperation. "But Heero . . ."

She nodded softly, "Heero would do the right thing, and marry me, even if it wasn't in his heart to marry me. He'd do it. He's not a heartless bastard, but on the other hand, his honor makes him look like one sometimes. Heero and I, I never expected him to love me. At least not the way I love him. His duty is something so profound, so multi-faceted, that it abases any feelings he might harbor for me other than lust."

That really shocked Trowa. _So . . . Heero actually had . . ._ "It is Heero's baby . . ."

He realized how insane that sounded, especially in light of everything that he had been saying previously. But. Damn. It appeared that although he'd assumed it was Heero's offspring, that he hadn't really connected the two mental wires yet.

Relena fidgeted with the fabric of her maternity nightshirt. "Yes. It is Heero's and my baby."

Suddenly, Trowa felt as unknowledgable as a first grader. "But . . . when . . . how?"

Relena bit her lip. "Last year. He escorted me home one night, when I was in cognito. We had dinner, talked. I told him of my vacation so far. And then, well . . . you know the whole idea of the birds and the bees, Trowa."

Trowa was confused. _Heero . . . had . . ._

"I never asked him for forever. It was the fourth time we met that he and I, we, got pregnant."

Nevermind confused, outright flabbergasted defined how Trowa felt now. Four nights? _Four?_

"I wondered after two months, why no period? Then I ate better, because that has happened before, the body stops doing other functions under extreme stress; still no period. Then I collapsed. Thank god it was here, and not somewhere else. The paparazzi would go into a feeding frenzy. There are always rumors in scuzzy papers on 'Relena's Secret Pregnancy . . . with Yuy?' or 'Winner?' or 'Chang?' or 'Barton?' or even 'Maxwell?' That was the 'menage et trois expose;' supposedly, Sylvia and I loved one another and decided to 'share' Duo."

Trowa remembered that.

_Four nights?_

One look at Relena gave him all the information he needed. She didn't even realize what four nights spent with someone who couldn't stand having a roommate, much less someone in their bed meant.

Particularly when Heero was that someone.

Trowa had respected Heero, always, as someone who felt, but in an abstract, duty sort of way. Then, as Trowa had changed, Heero had become, less because of that.

And now, to discover that Heero had covered up his love of Relena so well so that she wouldn't be put in the spotlight.

Hot damn.

Because, frankly, Heero didn't, ever, strike him as a 'I'm feeling like having sex tonight, let's go out and hit on chicks so my libido is cooled' sort of guy. Or even a guy who'd be interested in having a meaningful, extensive, personal experience on that level with anyone, he'd just been through so much pain.

Holy shit.

To find out the supposed 'Emotionless Soldier' had spent four nights obviously doing something rated NC-17 with the girl that he had a 'crush' on . . . now that took on a new texture.

_Wait . . ._

"How come only four nights?" Trowa asked, realizing the odd tone the question took.

Relena looked down. "I got very busy after the two months together. I wondered if he thought I disliked him, or what . . . we did . . ."

Two months. Two months beginning at her vacation would be . . . Trowa felt his mind click. Two months exactly after Relena and Heero's first night was the day that Heero had asked Trowa to tail her. Now Trowa understood the sadness in Heero's eyes. Now he understood the strange, almost tortured twinge of Heero's voice when he had asked Trowa to do him a favor. _Oh damn Heero, do you know what she feels for you._


	4. Chapter Four Rain Falling on Dry Leaves

**Aquarian Wings**

By: A.R. Taloff

"I'll come by and see you again

I'll have to be a very good friend

If I whisper they will know

I'll just turn around and go

You will never know my sin."

**_Chapter Four: Rain Falling on Dry Leaves

* * *

_**

Midii tapped two pencils on the door casing as she went out of her office.

The phone rang.

Already two steps outside of her room, she wanted to shrug off the call. _Answering machines are around_, she mentally reminded herself, _you can restrain the urge to answer the call_.

**_:Ringgggggggg:_**

Her shoulders fell. "Forget it Midii, you know you want to pick it up," she muttered to herself.

"Hello," she said into the receiver.

There was an eerie silence.

"Hello?"

"The Clowns Are Going to Pay."

Midii stared at the phone as it went dead in her hand. The clowns are going to pay? What was that about?

She realized, with a very scared feeling, that someone might be in danger. Biting her lip, Midii fought to recognize the clue in what the monotone voice had uttered. She fisted her hands, which now rested on her desk, and prayed for the answer.

Opening her eyes she stared straight at the only framed picture on her desk. It was a candid shot of Trowa, right after he had finished a circus act last summer. He was smiling, his half-mask held in one hand and the other petting a lion named Jakob. Midii remembered how the girls had stared at Trowa's exquisite upper body, and relished the fact that he had asked her to accompany him. It was a strange, moronic feeling, but, what else did a person in love act like but a native of 'Moronville?'

It was unfortunate that she was the only who probably felt that way. Trowa most likely only dealt with her because he thought her suspicious.

A smile tugged softly at her lips as she looked at his dorky pants. What god awful things . . . They make clowns wear the most . . .

She gasped softly.

Clowns.

She didn't bother to lock her office as she took off down the long corridor.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Somewhere passed the town of Frankenthal**

**Deutschlandes**

**S-Bahn a freeway name**

Dorothy quickly glanced at the current readouts that Midii and Lady had sent her. Dammit. Things were getting worse. In lieu of the upcoming ceremony for the new Foreign Minister, the 'Assassin' had come out again. For five seconds she remembered Quatre's handsome, worried face, and slammed her foot down on the accelerator.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Der Pastorale Park**

**Deutschlandes**

**3:14 pm**

Trowa felt the back of his neck prickle. Quickly he sought out the faces of Aquarius and Aramis, who were running around, playing an odd sort of tag. He sighed mentally, but that didn't stop the scary tickle that slid up and down his spine. Trowa had always trusted his instincts, and they now were shouting '**_WARNING!_**' in his mind.

He stood, and clicked on his microphone; it was attached to his collar, in the form of a rose pin.

"Trowa!"

His ears pricked at the sound of someone shouting his name. Trowa flicked his gaze around the playground. :Must've been the wind, or my imagination.:

But something still nagged.

"Trowa!" the voice screamed again, and then he looked up, seeing blonde hair, haphazardly thrown into a ponytail, now falling out in thick chunks.

His mind started racing, why was Midii here. _She could be in danger here, I thought she had to be at HQ today._

Midii kept running, until it became all too clear.

She was screaming his name still, and tears were streaming out of her frightened brown eyes as she started to sprint.

"HeadQuarters, something going down, Pasto-"

Trowa's voice was stifled as Midii charged into him and then she screamed as he heard the silent bullet thud into her body, jerking her sideways slightly.

* * *

**Past Time**

**AC 199**

**1st Str.**

**Dublin, Ireland**

**Maxwell-Noventa Mansion**

Flash bulbs flickered over the grisly scene, and Wu Fei held his brother tightly in his arms. _Duo, Gods, why . . . why you out of us five? What did you have, that targeted you?_

Sylvia still lay, silent as the dreamless sleep of death kept her.

Duo coughed hoarsely, and Wu Fei almost had a heart attack as violet eyes, glazed over, tried to find a face. "Fei?" came out of the mouth, along with some blood, which drooled out onto Wu Fei Chang's pristine uniform.

"Duo . .. Duo, just hang on, the paramedics are here, but we thought . . ."

Duo's eyes shut, and he gripped Wu Fei's arm weakly. "I'm . . . gonna . . . dead in few min . . .utes . . . watch . . . 'lena and them all, Fei . . . H-heero . . . Aramis . . . is in . . ."

Wu Fei stared in utter shock as more blood pooled onto the flagstone walkway of his brother's house.

"Syl . . . l's callin . . . jus' get 'im Fei . . . ge'im . . . his stone . . . eyes . . ." Duo reached for Sylvia's hand, which lay cold nearby. On contact, his body shuddered, and Duo, once the brightest spot in the ex-Gundam Pilots' lives, died.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Mannheim Preventers HeadQuarters**

**Deutschlandes**

**3:23 pm**

Dorothy ran across the parking lot, her long blonde hair whipping behind her.

She jerked her head around as a loud squeal of tires echoed. All she could do was scream.

A large black car hit her, sending her thumping against the windshield, her head ramming against the thick glass.

The car clicked into reverse and swerved, causing her to slid off and onto the pavement, her body falling into an unconscious heap.

The car squealed again as the driver spun a tight circle and floored it out of the lot.

Lady Une ran out, along with four others, she started shooting at the back tires, trying to get a clear aim through tears.

Dorothy's blood oozed out onto the pavement, and flashes of Duo and Sylvia pricked the back of Une's mind as she checked for the unconscious woman's pulse. Ripping out her cell phone, she dialed the GeoCity's hospital.

Lady quickly tore off a sleeve of her white blouse and balled it up against the most intense wound, located on the back of Dorothy's head, praying that one more life wouldn't be lost to the madman.

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Mannheim GeoCity Preventers Base Hospital**

**Deutschlandes**

**4:17 pm**

Relena stood in the waiting room, her mind racing with fear. An attempt on Trowa, intercepted by Midii, who ended up taking the bullet. Seven minutes later, Dorothy, whom no one had known was coming, got hit by a car in the parking lot of the HeadQuarters upper level.

Now Dorothy lay in ICU room 345, and Trowa was with Midii in room 346.

Relena had opted to stay here, with Aquarius, who was gently covering a sleeping Aramis with her coat. Heero had gone to get coffee.

Aquarius thought of the way that Aramis had gone pale and very nearly insane upon seeing Midii get shot, of how his hysterical cries frightened Aquarius like nothing had ever before. Perhaps it was because Aramis was the only one that Aquarius could provide some comfort to. Perhaps it was because Aquarius rarely interacted with someone who had not thought of her as 'that girl that Peacecraft/Darlian adopted' or the 'assumed bastard child' of someone. He was shaking and cold when the doctors had given him a shot of tranquilizers; it was only then when Aquarius had relinquished him to his father, who cradled the boy gently, Mr. Yuy's eyes in so much pain.

Aquarius straightened, raking her two hands through her hair and leveling her mother with a sharp glance. "Mom . . . what is-"

The entrance doors slammed open, interrupting Aquarius's accusation, and in walked a tall man with platinum blonde hair, brilliantly lit by the florescent lights of the corridor. He was flanked by two even taller, bulkier men in dark suits.

The blonde looked expensive, if anything real and breathing could actually bear that adjective. His light brown, soft leather trenchcoat flowed behind him, his dove gray suit fit to perfection, bright, lagoon colored eyes were narrowed. Before he got far, his arm was grabbed by an intern.

The intern gave the blonde a hard look. "Sir, I'm sorry, you're . . ."

The intruder stared at the intern with disgust, "Get off." He stepped again, and again the intern, who looked a bit stronger than the blonde, jerked the intruder's jacket back.

The blonde quickly pulled out a previously concealed beretta, and pointed it at the intern's head. "You don't get it, ass, do you?"

The intern stared at the gun, praying it wasn't loaded.

The blonde continued, his voice vibrating with desperation. "You, just, don't, fucking, get it! Do you even know who I am, you fucking idiot! Do you understand whose jacket you are grabbing, whose fiancee you have in your goddamn ICU ROOM!"

The blonde's voice edged higher with rage, and the intern grew more and more pale.

The blonde breathed heavily, trying to regain some calm, and he kept the gun trained at the intern's head, eyes holding the intern's stare. "Rashid, please, inform this brainless ass-wipe of who he is dealing with, so that in the future, such idiotic mistakes aren't replicated."

The tallest man nodded and the blonde let the nose of the gun fall so that it pointed to the ground. "Don't, ever, fucking mess with me again,' he half hissed at the intern.

He holstered the gun and sharply turned, passing Relena and Aquarius and walking into ICU room 345.

Aquarius couldn't speak for what seemed like an eternity. She sucked in air. "Mom . . ."

Relena, who had her eyes closed, thanking God that nothing disastrous had happened, opened them to Aquarius's pleading green eyes.

"Mom, w-was that . . . was that . . ."

Relena felt the threads of the intricate safety web start to deteriorate with the dawn of Aquarius's new found discoveries. "Quatre Raberba Winner . . . yes." Relena sighed, her heart aching for the kind man. "Poor Quatre . . ."

Aquarius began to feel as though her head would explode. The richest man in the colonies, and he was waving a beretta at a hospital intern. Her mother was referring to him as though they were friends. Her mother knew the Preventers well, because Fei wasn't the only Agent she talked with in friendly, soft ways with. There was that tall brunette, who was with the blonde who had been shot. Midii . . . she thought, was the blonde's name. Her mother seemed to know Midii well, talking with the tall man in hushed tones, hugging and patting one another.

And Aramis, and the man who was Aramis's father. She had seen the way they looked at each other.

And now this other woman, whose long blonde hair was nearly as platinum as the Winner millionaire's was. The woman whose hand her mother had held. Dorothy.

Oh God . . . who was this new Relena? Where had her mother gone, or worse, had this woman always been here, secretly under the skin and surface of Peacecraft Pacifism?

"Mother, who are you?" suddenly sprang from Aquarius's lips, almost accusatory in nature.

Relena bit her lip gently. She knew this was coming. Had known since the day that the brick broke their window; as though it also had broken whatever silent, sheltered world that she had kept her daughter in.

There was nothing overprotective about the move. The thirteen of them, now eleven, had always promised to keep the truth from their children, until they felt it was necessary to pass on. And then, only then, would they call a meeting, where all could relate the stories of the past.

The Past. What a silly way to call the years that the thirteen of them had become closer than Relena and her schoolgirl friends had ever been. The years where they all had aged. The years that were suppose to be innocent and carefree. The years of AC 195 through 197.

The thirteen had sworn that their children would never be terrified.

_Oh God, what a horrible promise to break._

Relena had never known that she would ever have to explain things to Aquarius without Duo to lighten the atmosphere. Sylvia to help bear the burden of telling children. How would she explain motives that they all shared for the same purpose? To keep their dark secrets hidden. How would she explain everything to Aquarius . . .

So little time . . . so much pain.

"Aquarius . . ."

The soft way that Relena uttered the name triggered a violence in Aquarius, which manifested itself into words. "Don't patronize me that way! Don't hide from me what can no longer be hidden! Don't you understand what I am going through? Do you understand what kind of horror that Aramis went through, seeing Midii get shot? My mother, whom I love, and she won't tell me why the Preventers treat her like a close, personal, best friend? Why the richest man in the colonies would not care if she called him by his first name? Why the richest man in the colonies carries a personal concealed weapon; how he can know how to bear it, when he is a pacifist?"

Aquarius sobbed, her eyes pleading and her nose turning red. "Mom, please, tell me, I'm so scared . . ."

Relena closed her eyes, fighting off her own emotions, controlling herself with what little strength she still had after this horrendous day, which was still not over. "Riu," she started, praying for guidance. "I promise, that when Midii and Dorothy are better, and in the event that nothing else has happened, that I, and everyone, will explain . . . everything to you. You're right, you should know."

Aquarius's eyes looked even more frightened.

Relena sighed. "Don't worry, my darling. I'm not doing anything illegal."

Relena almost lost all control as Riu's eyes watered, and she turned and ran off. Kai Ling appeared, her tired eyes managing to hold some semblance of latitude. "I'll protect her, ma'am."

Relena nodded, realizing that now she did feel older than Kai, and 'ma'am' didn't bother her.

So much life lived. So much pain. So much wisdom that Relena would sometimes willing trade for cheeseburger afternoons, drive-in movie dates, and milkshake dreams.

So much.

The door to ICU room 345 opened.

* * *

**Past Time**

**AC 200**

**Londonderry, Europa**

**Yuy Mansion**

Aramis lay curled up tight in his ex uncle's, now father's, arms. His new father's bed was very big, and he imagined it to be lonely, which is why he slept there.

His new father.

His old father, the one who had helped create him, was gone. And would remain that way. Aramis remembered very much of his old father.

Laughter. Smiling. Parties.

The new father did not bring with him a mother, though the same symbolic ring that his old father had had was in place on his new father's left hand. It was simple, with a small stone in the middle of it.

Where had the new mother gone?

* * *

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Mannheim GeoCity Preventers Base Hospital**

**Deutschlandes**

**4:29 pm**

Relena watched as Quatre, now coatless and haggard, nearly stumbled out of 345. His eyes held a haunted quality, and Relena could almost taste his unhappiness. It was a tangible floating aura, and it surrounded the blonde.

He captured her eyes and started towards her.

She faced him and waited.

He opened his arms and enfolded her in them tight, something Relena did not expect, but none the less, found herself wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him back.

"It'll be better, Quatre . . ." she whispered into the fabric of his suit.

He leaned his face into her hair, and she felt tears as their warmth touched her scalp, Quatre took a shaky breath. "I was late . . . god . . . they . . . he . . ."

Relena buried her head further into his shoulder, nodding and biting her lip against the tears that desperately wanted out.

"What has become . . . we used to be . . . now . . ." he quietly sobbed, pulling her tighter.

And that broke Relena, and she turned her head up to the ceiling. "No . . . we'll stop him Quat . . . I promise . . . We'll find him . . ." she whispered, tears clouding her vision.

Quatre pulled away, the tears still running softly down his slightly stubbled cheeks. "I . . . she . . . I had a son . . ." he closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against Relena's.

She held him close, tucking his head to her shoulder.

"They took my son . . . my son . . . our son . . ." Quatre's sobs racked his body, and for the life of him, he could not find a way to stop the pain. Relena offered comfort, which helped, but nothing could stop the fact from running through his mind on repeat.

"I had a daughter . . ." Relena whispered.

Trowa had stood for a time, holding eye-contact with Heero, whose eyes had gone from empathy to shock.

There was no mistaking the moment Heero realized she said 'had.'

Had.

A daughter.

And the pain in her voice sufficed the rest. The pain that only losing a child can give you.

Heero had nearly lost the hold he had on the two cups of coffee. As it was, he stood, stock-still, completely overwhelmed with a knowledge of something. Something which gave reason to Relena's hiding from him.

_Gwenhywfer._

That's the name of our child.

_Our girl._

The name she whispered today.

The reason she ran from me.

_She thought she would save me the pain._

_She thought she'd protect me._

She . . . took it on alone.

_What happened to our child?_

Trowa stared at Heero for a few more seconds, then found himself pulled to the two friends, who held each other from insanity.

Relena felt someone come close and hold onto them. It was Trowa, who, with his strong arms, held tight, seeking the same confidence and strength.

And then there was someone new, someone whose touched burned Relena still. Heero. In one fell swoop, she realized he must know. Whether through Trowa or from being there to hear her voice say it, he now knew that they had a child; it was in his quiet, gentle need to feel loved.

How they had become this, these people whom they could not have imagined being, it was unsure. Never before had they sought out comfort. Never before, when they had Gundam, had they allowed fear or hurt to take hold. They were the children of war, jaded and youth destroyed; yet now they held onto one another as though the whole was a life raft, and they were drowning.

Was it the helplessness of the situation? Was it the fact that they no longer had Gundam? Was it because they had seen the results of previous deaths? Was it because Duo no longer laughed with them? Was it because they had grown-up, and had a niece and nephew, children?

How had it come to this . . .

Aquarius stood in a corridor, watching the four hold one another. Watched her mother cry on the shoulder of Quatre Raberba Winner, who had made the first movement to hug. Watched them speak of pain, of lost strength.

Discovered yet something new.

Another daughter. A daughter that must have died.

Heero's shock. Trowa's pain.

They held each other, seeking, needing, desperately grasping for an answer.

How had they become entwined? she thought. How had their lives been molded to this? To each other?

"What is . . . happening?" she whispered into the darkness.

Kai's voice answered, and her soft hand slid into Aquarius's own.

"I don't know, Riu." Aquarius had never heard Kai call her that, had never known Kai to touch her mother or anyone.

"I don't know much, but one thing I do know is this; Wu Fei said something about them all being a part of this, being a part of a whole. They knew one another for years before I joined the team. They stuck close. The thirteen . . . there only seems to be eight now, Chang Wu Fei, Trowa Barton, Quatre Raberba Winner, Dorothy Catalonia, Relena Peacecraft/Darlien, Heero Yuy, Midii Une, and Lady Une . . . I don't know anything but that, and I promise that Chang won't keep me in the dark anymore than Relena does you."

Kai's furious promise helped Aquarius feel stronger.

"Thirteen . . ." Riu whispered softly. "What an unlucky number . . ."


	5. Chapter Five The Hearts of Dreamers

**Aquarian Wings**

By: A.R.Taloff

"I'm haunted,

By the lives that I have loved,

And others I have aided."

**_Chapter Five: The Hearts of Dreamers_**

* * *

**Past Time**

**May 19, AC 197**

**The Catholic Church of Mary**

**Londonderry, Europa**

The huge church was brimming with family and friends, photographers and planners. And in front of it all, stood a groom, impeccably dressed, and fighting to remain on solid ground.

I t was hard to imagine that he wasn't tempted to run away.

It was hard to imagine that he was excited to get hitched.

But for the second time in his life, Duo felt like this was it. The thing he wanted, needed, and felt secure about. Sad that the first thing was choosing to pilot Deathscythe, but everyone had to start somewhere.

Duo kept trying to see everyone who came in. It was hard, because somehow, this had turned into quite the show, and he couldn't help but start feeling upset as he saw yet another tornado of people whirl in.

It was easy to hide unhappiness, it was easy to feign cheer.

But dammit, his sister wasn't here, she hadn't RSVP'd and he needed her. Sylvia had closed into herself upon the knowledge. He realized that there had been a blow there, at least in his fiancee's eyes. Hilde didn't want to go because she didn't approve of Sylvia.

_ Bull shit._

Duo knew in his heart that Hilde wasn't doing this to smite them, because Hilde liked the idea of them together.

Because Hilde had pointed Sylvia out.

Because Hilde had pushed Duo in Sylvia's direction.

But where was she?

All of the thirteen were there, even Zechs and Lucrezia, and those two rarely went to anything where large numbers of people lurked, where they could be identified as themselves. In the public's eyes, they had died. In the thirteen's eyes, they did what they had to do.

Elope.

Well, it hadn't started that way, according to Lucrezia, that was later, after they had settled with the Terra Forming Project on Mars. But Duo had always felt that that was the reason that the two had run off.

Now the two 'dead' people sat in the back row, dressed as well as any, smiling and nodding to one another, holding hands.

Duo wanted that. He wanted that forever. And he wanted that with Sylvia.

_Where was Hilde?_

It was a hard rejection for Duo. They had stayed together with the Salvaging business and Hilde had started going to night school for a degree in business consulting.

She had finished the first semester weeks ago and he'd been there, the proud brother hugging his brilliant sister while Sylvia took candid shots.

He sighed quietly. Even Howard was here. Howard had brought his son and daughter-in-law, and their kid, Gavin. Gavin was about Duo's age, and less interested in marrying until he had gotten a four year degree at Oxford. Despite that, the two still liked each other, and had become friends.

Then, as if a holier than anything alarm clock was ringing, the moment was there, the organ piping to 'Here Comes the Bride;' the piping only lasted long enough to introduce the real promenade song, which was Pachebel's Canon in D. Sylvia had said flat out that no child was going to be mentally singing; 'Here comes the bride, sixty inches wide, see how she waddles, from side to side,' out of boredom while she had her moment of glory.

He grinned as Heero, his Best Man, escorted a beautiful looking Relena down the aisle. Duo shared a smile with Relena, who was Sylvia's Maid of Honor, and remembered to thank Relena again for having that dinner party.

The dinner party where he had met Sylvia.

It was almost a riot, remembering how twitter-pated he'd found himself. Normally he just charmed girls and they ate out of his hands. Instead, she charmed him. Love at

First Sight Syndrome, according to Howard.

According to Gavin, Howard had also fallen victim in his younger years. He had met Sandra at a potluck dinner. _Howard? At a potluck dinner? What?_ They had dated for two days, and decided to get married. Howard lost Sandra to cancer fourteen years later, after having children who had children, and now Howard didn't want to fall in love again.

Next came Trowa, escorting a blonde who Duo recognized as Midii Une. Lady had questioned the last name, and through blood tests and background checks, they had determined that the two were first cousins. Lady had been orphaned, Midii had lived with her family until they were destroyed in a raid.

Now the two lived in a large apartment near the Main Preventers HQ with Dorothy, who occasionally visited from the Parisian university she attended, or Mariemia when Zechs and Lucrezia wanted some alone time. Midii attended classes to become a mid-wife and nurse, and Lady headed the Preventers. The thirteen had grown to accommodate Midii, who Trowa seemed to know as a war child.

Then came Quatre, who was slowly becoming one of the most eligible millionaires in E-SUN. (Earth-Sphere United Nations) The Thirteen laughed at his predicament, which once was assassination threats, and now was crazy lovesick fan girls. Quatre seemed to dislike it with a fervor. :Well, this should make for some decent fodder, Duo mused. Quatre escorted Dorothy, whom Duo hadn't seen - not including as of late - since the end of AC 195. Dorothy had gone into business and fashion, and hadn't been seen around much.

He couldn't believe that the blonde woman who once had used them all, and herself, as pawns could have changed so radically in so little time. Dorothy had become almost mousy in countenance, and although was now wearing contacts and her hair down, mostly wore nerdy looking glasses and her long, pale blonde hair in tight buns or braids. The latter of which, upon seeing Dorothy in them during rehearsal yesterday, Duo began to refer to her as the 'Swiss Miss.' Even her idea of fashion had changed; while she earned 'A's' and Five Star ratings in Design for her daring and innovative clothing, she herself altered her Bride's Maid dress to revel less cleavage.

She, out of them all, had changed the most, and most assuredly, for the best.

Duo had an inner feeling that it had to do with the entrance of Mariemia, Treize's daughter, and Dorothy's cousin. It was one more reminder of the horrible mistake she'd made.

Life had dealt them all pretty fucked up hands, and somehow, they managed to get here, somewhere better and more complete.

Wu Fei led a young, pert looking brunette down the aisle, one of Sylvia's old Prep school friends, Brittany or something.

Wu Fei. Whoa. If one person had changed very little, it was Fei. He still studied the marital arts religiously, worked with Sally, Trowa, and Heero in the Preventers, and rarely made a joke. But, if Duo had it right, Fei had started to smile a bit more, even laughed last night when Duo managed to get Dorothy to try to yodel. Fei even managed to look slightly happy today.

One thing Duo wished more than anything was to figure out why Fei just didn't let himself open up to the female gender. Weird. Brittany (he was sure her name had to be Brittany) had tried to flirt relentlessly with Fei last night, even going so low as to drop stuff so that she could show him her cleavage. Did Fei do anything? Nope.

Duo sighed as Fei, almost giddily, released a surprised and upset Brittany and walked up to stand next to Quatre.

And then, for some odd reason, there was another Groom's Man, one Duo didn't recognize, leading another blonde down the aisle. The blonde woman was Sally, but who was the dude?

Dark, navy hair, short and styled.

And it hit, hard.

HILDE!

She grinned at him, showing her teeth in the rabid, funny way she did when she knew she had tricked him. Hilde wore a deep purple suit with pumps, a white shirt and a lime colored tie, and hoop earrings. Duo knew that all the thirteen were smiling, because Hilde hadn't wanted to be a Bride's Maid, she was Duo's sister and friend, and belonged on his side.

He agreed, completely.

She nodded goodbye to Sally, and then Duo and Hilde embraced, hugging as though they hadn't seen each other in years.

He felt little wet spots hit his neck. "Hey," he whispered in her ear as they held tight, despite the fact that everyone stared. "Don't cry for me, or you. We'll always be friends. We'll always be together, pally, 'cause you're my special sister."

Hilde pulled back, and her eyes were a bit misty. "Fooled you, loser. Didn't think I was coming, huh?"

Duo smiled, hugging her again, then kissing her cheek. "I'll get you back, punk-ass."

A small sob escaped her lips, and he held her tight once more.

When they let go, Hilde went to stand next to the stoic body of Wu Fei, waiting for the arrival of her new 'sister-in-law' to be.

Sylvia's little cousin Jordan started down the aisle, carrying fake rings on a beautiful cushion. He looked very focused, as though the mere thought of walking straight down a big red carpet while carrying a pillow with the rings attached was incomprehensible. Duo had to give the six year old credit. No way could he have done that when he himself was six.

And then Mariemia came out, her shocking red hair glittering and her pretty white flower girl dress floating around her. Lady and Midii twisted round to take pictures.

Mariemia lived mostly with Lucrezia and Zechs now, because of the constant worrying of

Lady and the near impossible ability to give her the attention she needed at that age.

Lucrezia wanted children, but she and Zechs were too busy to spend nine months dealing with pregnancy right now, so this was a quick way to have a child - and some practice.

They shared custody, and Mariemia didn't seem to mind. Most of the radical trash that

Dekim had forced on her had been erased or eased by psychiatrists, but there were nights for the first few months, and sporadically even now, where Lady or Zechs would wake up to find Mariemia walking around, or screaming, or having horrible night-frights. The thirteen had decided that since Mariemia was too young to comprehend, at least to the full extent, of what had occurred these last few years, that they would treat her as she wished to be treated - or how they interpreted it. Mariemia had not seemed to want to remember what she had done, and the thirteen offered her that.

Soft petals drifted to the ground as Mariemia made her way to the front, and the crowd hushed completely. They twisted about, waiting to see the bride.

Sylvia stepped out from one side of the door, and her father stepped out from the other, he offered her his arm, and she took it.

They began the stately walk down the aisle.

Duo felt as though all his functions had temporarily ceased to work. She was so beautiful and serene, like an angel. Apparently Hilde had fought her way through the hoard of stylists and seamstresses and given Sylvia a pep talk, because he saw Sylvia smile at Hilde and wink.

He'd never felt so filled with wonder as he did now, watching and knowing that after this ceremony, he'd be able to see her every day and know that she was his. And that he was hers.

As they reached him, he realized that Mr. Noventa, who was ailing of cancer, was tearing up. Duo smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring and goofy way. The two men shook hands, and then Sylvia's hand was in Duo's, and it felt like it belonged there.

For now, and all of eternity.


	6. Chapter Six Bells Ring Twelve

** Aquarian Wings**

By: A.R. Taloff

"God knows even angels fall,

No such thing as you've lost it all,

God knows even angels fall."

**_Chapter Six: Bells Ring Twelve

* * *

_**

**Present Time**

**AC 204**

**Mannheim GeoCity Preventers Base**

**Deutschlandes**

**SafeHouse Six**

It was nearly two weeks of silence, two weeks before Midii was able to move enough to not cause inflammation or major pain. As it was, Trowa had hissed at her to sit still while he gently lifted her in his arms.

She hissed back and he threatened her with his green eyes. "Look, I realize you assume that some other man is waiting in the wings to do this to you some day, but you'll never get a decent one if you don't teach yourself to act less animalistic."

Midii gave him a dirty look. "Why would I want a guy? All they do is boss you around and pretend that they are more gentlemanly than reality proves."

Trowa rolled his eyes. "A thank-you might be nice."

"I'm not nice."

"Obvious and now noted."

"Shut-up."

"I thought those pills were supposed to tranquilize you." Trowa shot her a 'look.'

Midii stared at him with daggers in her eyes. "I decided not to take them. All Aquarius needs is for me to pass out while we're explaining everything." She took a second look at Trowa, seeing the lines that etched under his moss green eyes. Midii sighed and conceded, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm sorry, it still hurts more than I could've imagined, and I don't really mean to be so obnoxious."

Trowa looked down at her, seeing how pale and strained she appeared. "I know."

He then completely shocked her by opening a random guest-room door and setting her down in a chair. She looked about, confused and wide-eyed. "Wh-what?"

Trowa knelt in front of her. "Midii, why did you do that?" He rethought the question. "How come you risked yourself for me?"

Midii felt her cheeks get very warm. "I, I just . . . did . . ." she stammered, then half smiled and tried to pawn off flippancy. "Can't let people get shot."

Trowa sighed and dropped his head down. "Midii, thank-you. I don't know if I ever told you that, but in case, thanks."

Midii bit her lip, _there goes flippant remarks_; then, against anything that the intelligent part of her brain told her to not do, she gently slid a hand down his cheek.

"Hey, what else am I good for?" she joked, smiling tentatively. "Besides, I owed you."

Trowa carefully grasped her hand. "I didn't ever expect you to keep score. It doesn't matter."

Midii looked down at the cream colored carpet. "I didn't keep score, but I don't know what I'd have done without your kindness, then . . . or now. You were the single thing that kept the Twelve from kicking me out on my butt." She gently rubbed a thumb over his knuckles. "I don't know why you've tolerated me over the years. But thanks." She closed her eyes, this wasn't going to fly. She needed to tell him. For years she had dealt with fantasy, and now . . . Midii needed to know if reality was a possibility.

"Ne, Trowa, there's something I should tell you. It's not just my medication talking now . . ." She kept her eyes downcast, knowing that at least she had finished her education; now she could find herself another job. "I seem to . . ."

Her eyes opened wide as soft lips pressed against her inner palm.

Trowa was watching her through his impossibly thick eyelashes. "I know," he whispered into her hand.

Midii felt her face get even warmer. "Oh . . ."

Trowa leaned up and kissed her lips, lightly as a butterfly would alight on a flower. "I've known for awhile now. Lady pointedly asked about you and I. She informed me that if I didn't care for you in a more than platonic way, that I should stop hanging around you so much and taking you off on just 'you and me' vacations."

Midii felt so dumb and stupefied; she knew that there should be some indignation coursing through her veins right now. Lady shouldn't be nosy, Trowa should have said something . . .

"I told her that I definitely liked you in a more than platonic sort of way. To tell you the truth, I felt very irritated that Lady could see through me that way and even more annoyed that she thought I would just take any girl to meet my sister."

Midii's eyes widened. "Your sis-. . . Catherine . . ?"

"DNA tested and proven. Catherine and I are brother and sister. Odd hands we get dealt. My real name is Triton Bloom, and that's the name I use while I'm out and about on missions." Trowa smiled softly. "Catherine and I had a weird feeling about it all when somebody from Catherine's youth asked if Triton was around, then saw me and hugged me, absolutely sure that I was her younger brother."

Midii looked at him, certain that he was not, in some subtle, wonderful, completely beautiful way, admitting that he cared for her. "Surprise, surprise."

Trowa stood, still holding her hand, still smiling softly.

Midii just stared. "So . . . you don't mind that I like you back?"

Then Trowa laughed, loud and long, and bent to scoop her up into his arms.

"No, not as long as you don't mind me liking you, either." He kissed her nose gently and carried her through the door.

* * *

Relena stood at the doorway, ushering people in while Heero and Kai worked on laptops on either side. Aquarius sat on one of the very comfortable-looking chairs.

Aquarius glanced around, noting that Lady sat on one of the two comfortable chairs left, gently spinning a plain gold band on her left ring finger. Wu Fei was sitting on the loveseat next to her chair, looking calm and detached. Her mother had the look of a trapped person on her face, fear and knowing all at once, and Aquarius knew that there was something very remarkable about this story that was to be told.

Dorothy and Quatre Raberba Winner, who were wearing more casual khakis and turtlenecks, sat on another loveseat, holding hands and whispering to each other in soft, soothing tones.

Trowa and Midii had yet to arrive, and Aquarius was beginning to get more and more anxious. She had asked her mother why Kai and Heero were working on laptops and gotten a 'You'll see.' She had asked why so many people were coming and gotten a'You'll see.'

So far, all she was seeing was a something scary and dark, something that she though she left behind at 1675 Maple Drive.

Then Trowa walked in, carrying Midii as though they had just been married, and this was their new home. He set her down on the couch and took the spot next to her, immediately taking up one of her hands and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

Aquarius felt funny, being here all alone. They were all gathered for a purpose. Thirteen . . . thirteen. Only eight. What were they all in together?

Heero nodded to Kai, and Kai smiled, pressing a button. Heero looked up at

Relena, and she gently shut the doors.

Kai stood and walked over past Wu Fei, and then took the seat next to him, crossing her legs and shooting him a dirty look. Wu Fei noticed, but Aquarius couldn't tell if he didn't care or just didn't bother to show his emotions.

Heero and Relena sat down on the couch that Midii and Trowa were already on;

Heero sat closest to the pair and Relena at the end. Relena scooted as close to the armrest as possible, and Heero felt like kicking himself. Or at least standing up and announcing himself as an asshole. That way Relena might talk to him because she certainly hadn't been doing much of anything around him, except talking to other people, that was.

How she must detest him . . . He couldn't blame her. Hormones weren't even the case; the first time he'd felt Relena respond to his kiss, he almost went crazy.

That first night spent together wasn't the only time they'd shared kisses. After the

Dinner Party, he asked her to dance. There was no one around to see them, no one to spread that the Preventers' best Mercenary and Cryptoanalyst was sneaking dances, and later kisses, with Vice Foreign Minister Darlian.

She had been so full of vitality that night, so amiable. And when they danced, it was perfectly amazing. She fit into his arms, as though she was supposed to -- not that he'd ever had a doubt that she wouldn't.

He'd never bothered with protection, because he'd never paused to think about it.

Rampaging hormones or not, there was no excuse . . .

After their four nights, and she had gone into bed rest, he'd wondered if how he felt about her was just a reaction to the first girl that ever told him 'no.' The first girl he'd ever wanted to completely protect. So he'd done one of the lesser acts of his life and tried dating another girl.

She was nice, pretty, and had a mind of her own. They dated for three months, in silence and without outside knowledge. After that, she'd broken it off, saying that he was 'too closed off.'

'_Kissing you was great Heero, you're wonderful at that . . . but, your heart wasn't into our relationship. Mine was, I've never met a guy like you, but you don't like me, and it's pretty obvious that there must be some girl who you are trying to get over. Don't get over her. Get her back. Don't let her go.'_

It was all the more advice he needed.

So he and Duo had laid down a plan to figure out how Heero and Relena could do a forever thing. How somehow, they couldmanage being married without the hype. Hence the rings. Duo had them made up by a colleague of his who worked with metals, one ring for Relena, one for Heero. Opal-stoned and silver, Sylvia had pretended that it was in Relena's mailbox, a surprise gift from one of Duo's apprentices, and they had opened it together. Relena had worn it on her ring finger. Her left hand ring finger.

And Heero had worn his on his left hand ring finger. It was like being engaged.

No one noticed, or no one bothered to say anything if they did.

Duo and Sylvia had been planning a party for one week after the 'Ring Placement' mission. Heero would announce that he was engaged to the girl who had the same ring as he. Dumb, and obvious, and downright corny, but Duo had insisted that it would work out. Sylvia insisted that Relena secretly loved those ridiculous romance novels where the 'hero' ('How ironic! Heero, you are the 'hero' of a real life romance story! Duo, love, we could write a book on how we got them together! Imagine how popular it would be, we could call it, 'The Soldier and the Heir.'') always did strange things for the woman he loved. So, of course it would work.

It might have. They would never know. Three days before the party, Duo and Sylvia had been shot to death as they answered the door.

Relena gently cleared her throat. "Thank you all, once again. I know, I know," she said, lifting a hand in appeal. "We promised this to each other, but I still appreciate it."

"Before I begin, I will assure you, jamming fields are on, and the doors are locked with a password and fingerprint check. The only people who could figure it out are people who should already be in this room."

Her eyes met with each of the seven that was there from the thirteen, then held with Aquarius's. "Aquarius, you're my daughter, and there is something that now, more than ever, you should know.

"We've been separated, us thirteen, now eleven, for so long. What a way to be reunited, though. And that is one of the reasons we should most definitely explain our pasts to you."

Relena sighed, and felt the gentle hand of Midii's on her own. "You asked me why we were all here. I guess you must've thought that I had some horrible, dirty secret that they didn't already know.

"But in truth, it's all of our secret. We share it together because we lived it together.

"Everything we are going to tell you today cannot be shared with the world. Not with your friends, not with your pets. Not with anyone who is not a part of the Thirteen.

That is your mission. To keep our pasts a secret."

Aquarius felt her stomach squeeze itself into knots. Why was her mother telling her this? "I . . . I promise, mommy . . ." shewhispered, and then Relena exhaled, relieved.

Trowa cleared his throat. "Maybe, maybe I should begin."

Aquarius stared.

"All of my life, all I have remembered is being a soldier. Being on the battlefield was my life, death my companion, and destruction my career. I lived the life that I knew. It-"

"-was there that he had the misfortune of meeting me," Midii interrupted quietly.

Trowa's eyes softened, and he held his tongue.

Midii continued, knowing that everyone but Lady and Trowa would be shocked by this new development. "Trowa found me in the woods one day, while he was scouting for spies and others."

Her gaze searched the far off past.

"He found me, and I begged him not to kill me and I was lost with no where to go. Please, I begged, offer me shelter, life, I will do anything. He didn't kill me, his mistake, I suppose."

"The weeks went by, and the attacks on the rebel forces, Trowa's group, were more and more severe, as though the Alliance knew where we hid.

"And they did, because I supplied them with the information."

Midii heard the screaming adults in her memories, as they raged against one another.

"Trowa must've suspected almost the entire time. Instead of killing me though, or ignoring me, we became an odd sort of companion to one another. I felt guilty the entire time, knowing that he would never feel any of the kindness that we shared if he knew the truth. I kept every serious, wonderful, and close moment we shared in my heart for the rest of my life."

Aquarius stared, realizing that somehow, this was true, because Midii's eyes pleaded for Trowa's forgiveness even now.

"Trowa, as I said, must've known I had something to do with it, but he waited for a long time before he said anything. I wore two things around my neck. One was a communicator; the other, a transmitter cross. I offered the cross to Trowa in the earlier times to thank him for saving me. And at the same time . . . I knew what it was . . .

"When he confronted me, it was that cross he ripped off, informing me of what he thought of me. I told him that I would do anything to feed my family.

"He threw the cross to the ground, spared my life, and left." Midii sighed, finally that was off her chest. It was no worse a trick than most had played during the revolution, but even remembering it made her mouth taste like rancid bile.

"Contrary to her belief, I kept the cross she gave me, or at least one which no longer had a decent working transmitter. A dead friend had one with a likeness, and as

Midii said, I knew long before telling her that she was a spy."

"I left her alone that day, wishing in the back of my empty soul that I hadn't."

Trowa sighed softly.

Aquarius sat silently as she let that soak in, but before barely two minutes had passed, Trowa began anew.

"From there, I went to work as a mechanic with the Barton Foundation. They were secretly planning an attack on Earth and the Alliance to gain complete rule.Mariemia, daughter of Lisa Barton and Treize Kushrenada, was to be the ruler. Most of her life, she only knew her grandfather, Dekim Barton, who never even bothered to tellTreize of his child, nor did he bother to share that he supposedly killed Lisa.

"Mariemia was the niece of Trowa Barton. The real Trowa Barton."

Aquarius gasped. Real? Then . . . who . . .

"It wasn't until the night that Trowa threatened to tattle on the designer of 03

Gundam Heavyarms for saying blasphemous things about 'Operation Meteor,' that I ever had a name."

Trowa remembered that night, how he had heard Trowa Barton's over-loud voice yelling at two people for being jealous. "The assistant, who had a family on Earth, couldn't imagine the amount of devastation that the operation planned. So he shot Trowa.

"I became that man, whether by fate or luck, I will never know. I went to earth to destroy the people that were truly hurting the colonies. The Alliance."

He looked at Aquarius, whose face held horror and astonishment.

"Yes, Riu," came the voice of Wu Fei. "The Alliance, the Gundam. We were the Gundam."

Aquarius felt her ears roar. "But . . . who?"

"I'll continue, if I may," replied the Winner millionaire. "It was when Trowa had run out of ammunition and was about to be destroyed that I and the Maguanac Corps opened fire on that same base." Quatre smiled at Trowa, and Trowa nodded.

"Trowa and I initially fought, both believing that the other was an enemy. I felt it was wrong and shut down my mobile suit and came out of the cockpit. I said what I felt. That our suits were too alike, that we shouldn't be fighting. Then he came out."

Quatre looked at Riu, who was eyeing him with a worse look than Trowa had received. Quatre knew that his face now wasn't the smiling one that he had previously bore, but a more serious one, filled with memories.

Of painful memories.

"My father had immigrated to space, and because of the threat space life had on women's ability to bear pregnancy, he and my mother had used intense contraceptives, and instead of having womb babies, had test-tube babies." Quatre sighed, remembering all that had occurred so many years ago. "I never felt good about myself, and I suppose, had I known the truth of my existence, I would have felt worse.

"The truth was that I killed my mother. She died during my birthing, and to keep me from feeling terrible about my existence, my father had been hard on me, just as he was on my other sisters. I was my father's 'heir.' Big deal. I hated him. I hated myself more. I was a terrible spoiled brat, and I knew it. It wasn't until I met the Maguanacs that I shaped up. That I took pride in myself.

"They captured our ship and the small satellite, MO-III, nearest to it. They were protesting to the Alliance, who sent them there to work under detention, with little to no pay and families at home. In the end, I learned that you weren't where you were brought up, test tube or womb. You were who you made yourself. It took Rashid slapping me to get that across my self-pitying attitude and realize that I had my head up my . . . ass."

Quatre fidgeted a little, afraid to see the look on Riu's face now. It was harder than he thought, without Duo there. This girl was his niece though, he'd better get use to explaining their pasts. _Especially if . . ._

"I decided that I would become someone who could handle himself. I went out with a Maguanac suit that day. Later, after meeting again with the strange 'mad-scientist'I had first met on MO-III, I came back to Earth with Gundam Sandrock, determined to right the injustices that had led my friends to such desperate means. The Maguanacs were waiting."

Quatre sighed, signalling the end of his story, or what he felt like describing at that point in time.

Dorothy gently kissed his hand and then she turned to Aquarius. "I will be out of place if I go now, but I will none the less say my part."

Dorothy seemed even more uneasy with what she had to say. "I was the cousin of Treize Kushrenada, and the Granddaughter of Duke Dermail. I used my position, my wealth, whatever power I could grasp, and played with people's minds. I was drawn to the Sanq Kingdom, to toy with the peaceful world they created. It was there where I would meet Heero Yuy and Quatre Raberba Winner. After a time, I knew that my grandfather was getting fed up with the Sanq Kingdom's pious behavior; they had even started up a school where public officials of all the countries could send their children to attend in privacy, a place where they could learn pacifism. I offered to go, under the guise of peaceful ambassador from Romefeller, another facet of OZ. There, I met two more pawns. Heero Yuy and Quatre Raberba Winner, two mysterious boys who piloted the chaos causing Gundam 01 and 04. From there, I helped bring the devastation of the newly reformed Sanq Kingdom."

Dorothy took a steadying breath.

"I brought Relena to Romefeller's headquarters, and placed the spark of an idea into those fool's heads. Make Relena Peacecraft into Queen Relena, ruler of Earth, and let her play into the deeper pool of politics. Unfortunately, grandfather began to detest this decision. Relena was throwing the weight of Romefeller behind Pacifism now, and the Duke was losing the control he wanted.

"So he plotted to kill her. An assassination of Relena would obviously point in his direction, so I did what I thought was smart. I sent him into space, straight into an attack from White Fang. He would die honorably, without placing shame in the family. Without making me lose my power.

"The death of my grandfather meant the release of Relena, and the change of the tides. Treize regained power of Romefeller, and Relena and I went into space. Of course, I went in a different shuttle, one that would take me to Libra, White Fang's base, more quickly. I wanted to have time to play with the leader of White Fang's, Zechs Marquise's mind; to see if I could turn him more against his sister before she got there."

Dorothy chanced a look at Aquarius, who still watched with even more horror.

Dorothy knew that her mistakes were terrible, and could only be overshadowed by two other's confessions, but it was doubtful that Aquarius would even deign to speak to any of them by the end of this meeting.

"I had little effect on him, because he had already discovered what beliefs he wanted to uphold, and when Relena arrived, he saw her. But only to tell her to leave him alone, and escape earth. Then, when I escorted Relena to her room on Libra, I locked her in it."

Dorothy wrung her hands. "Couldn't have her screwing up my lovely war.

"Then, Heero rescued Relena, and although it was a slight loss, I took it in stride. We had created the ultimate mobile doll system, where one strategist could control entire fleets of dolls with one control panel, with the Zero System installed."

"Our first battle, I lost to one man. Quatre Raberba Winner. It was the most amazing thing on earth. How I had lost to him? How could he win? How could he, the weakest of the Gundam Pilots, beat me?

"In the last battle, I challenged Quatre to a duel, and using the Zero System I won. By stabbing Quatre in the stomach. And then Trowa showed up, I guess to stop me. He told me that Treize had been killed."

Dorothy felt the tears start to form, and she dashed them away. "I didn't ever think that those two would be so stubborn. Stubborn enough to die. I wanted to sink into the depths of Hell when he told me that. And to make it worse, I couldn't cry. Trowa's parting words remained emblazoned on my mind for the rest of my life;

'How sad . . . a woman who can't cry.'

I heard those words, and still hear them, taunting me." The tears came again when

Dorothy saw that Aquarius looked terrified _Oh god, what am I, to make a child look that way . . . "_Even when I taunted the people who watched Mariemia take over, telling them they deserved to live under tyranny if they had no desire to fight for freedom."

Dorothy looked at Trowa, who was shocked that his words, spoken in anger and insult, could have had that much of an effect on the woman who sat next to his best brother. She looked haggard, her eyes haunted. He had helped with that pain.

Quatre put his arms around Dorothy and held her to him, kissing her hair and rubbing her back gently.

"I shall tell my story next," Wu Fei said softly.

Kai did not look at him, and somehow, that was not what he wished and at the same time what he needed. Her understanding.

"I was fourteen when I married Meiren of the Dragon Clan."

If the room hadn't stilled when Trowa told of his murdering Trowa Barton, or when Dorothy had told of killing her grandfather out of selfishness, it did when Wu Fei talked of his marriage.

"She wasn't pleased with the match. I wish I had cared, but as my nickname implied, I was 'that Scholar Boy.' I cared more for learning, less for the arguing, the sword-fighting, and the other pomp that went with being an heir. Meiren was angered by this, and one day, challenged me to a fight."

"I won."

"Meiren was amazed, shocked in fact, that I could beat her. She always called herself the strongest of the Dragon Clan, even going as far as to call herself Nataku, the God of Justice.

"I had already met Dr. O, because he was building the Tallgeese I and Shenlong on our colony."

Wu Fei kept his eyes trained on the wall past Trowa's head, and Kai's eyes were fixated on her knees, trying to keep herself from shaking.

_ Wu Fei's been married . . . married . . ._

"We were attacked by the Alliance force OZ, with Treize as the leader. It was planned biological warfare, plain and simple, but we didn't know that at the time. I wish we had. So many lives would've been saved.

"Meiren immediately went to fight in the Tallgeese I, but that idiot was too stubborn to realize most grown men could not handle the Tallgeese I, much less a little girl like herself. Stupid . . .stupid."

"Dr. O told her as much, and in defiance, she denounced herself as a woman, and was re-titled Nataku. Nataku went outside into the colony to destroy the rogue suits, soon realizing that she was ruining the flowers, Nataku moved the battle to space.

"As much as I disliked the concept of piloting such a destructive thing, I realized one thing." Wu Fei sighed gently. "I was not coward enough to stand by while my wife was murdered."

Kai gently fisted her hands, carefully hiding her anxiety. _. . . while my wife was murdered . . . wife . . ._

"She fought valiantly, but was no match, and soon I placed myself between her and another suit. She yelled for me to let her fight, and I told her to leave. Once again she argued, and I told her to listen to me, wasn't it a wife's job to obey her husband? Nataku left.

"Stupid . . . stupid idiot."

Wu Fei fought the emotions that washed through him. "The second I was disabled though, Nataku returned, ramming Tallgeese I into the Leo. They exploded, and I had to find Meiren in the debris. If she had just . . . listened . . . then she would . . ."

He took a breath. "I took her back to the field of flowers she had protected. She told me that she thought I was strong. Stronger than her.

"And then she died."

Wu Fei looked up to see Aquarius's eyes water again, tears spilling onto those pale cheeks. _How many more tears will be shed?_

He sighed and continued, slowly, remembering the hurt as though it were fresh in his mind.

"I ran away after discovering Operation Meteor, to space, to Earth, running from the pain, from the world I knew to the world I needed to find . . . the world that suddenly no longer made any sense. I felt as though I had been betrayed by fate, by the Gods. As though it were a cruel joke. I searched the bowels of Hell, and ransacked the souls of Heaven. Only to discover if men and women had it in their hearts to be free.

"I became evil, and goaded Demons. All for the sake of knowing who, what, where, I wanted to be, to think, to go."

"I am not saying that the pain of killing and the losses I've suffered have been in vain, or allowable, but because of them I've discovered what those who died, died for. What they taught me, they wrote in books with ink created from their blood. I now know what I wish I had known then. Perhaps then so many lives would not have been lost for my learning."

"Perhaps she would not have died."

Wu Fei held his head high, and Kai stared at the coffee table in front of her feet and legs. She wished that she had caffeine; even coffee grounds would have helped her get a grip on her shaking hands. Wu Fei the strong, the serious, the corny funny one. The one she launched scrambled eggs at, the man she'd fallen head over heels for because he was handsome and sweet. Which one was the real Wu Fei? Did he wish for Meiren? How could Kai even begin to compare to a woman who had fought in the great battle . . . how could she even come close to the bravery that that young woman of 14 had shown . . . Kai was nothing. She had never really battled. She had never felt the cold steel of indifference. Kai was a bureaucrat. Someone who played with guns and preached peace and pretended that they could handle shooting someone, while inside they prayed to have the luck not to.

Wu Fei once again met Relena's eyes, which were blurry with tears. He realized what the knowledge had cost her. Relena the Strong, the Brave. The one who would stand up after the world had gone crazy and hold the hands of the fearful and tell them that it would be all right. She cried for his pain and grief, and not for her own.

He could see Kai concentrating on the berber carpeting and the coffee table with all her might. Gods, how would things between them change now?

Aquarius was trying to logically piece all this together in her mind. The biological warfare of OZ on Colony L5 - political history; she remembered the lesson well. The two mysterious Gundam had magically appeared out of nowhere to stop the plan from getting underway. Deaths had been numerous, but compared to other battles, the rate was paltry, if the killing of civilians was considered as such.

Wu Fei's wife had been part of the death rate. Did that make him the heir to the Dragon Clan?

Heero cleared his throat softly, wishing that Relena would hold him, touch his knee, his arm. Anything, for that matter, because he needed her strength right now. He had been trying to impress Aquarius since he'd met the inquisitive and serious young girl. With all the information he would give her, he might as well have shot Relena because Aquarius would never let him near her, or her mother. Not that Relena would even listen to him right now.

"I was always an assassin-in-training," he said.

Relena bit her tongue. Heero's voice didn't have the steely edge of cold apathy it used to. Now he had regret. Now he had pain. Now there was emotion, and Relena didn't know how to take it.

"I guess I still am. At one point in time, people considered me to be an assassin. I wonder if they realize the true and amazing power and training it takes to be a perfect assassin. You are always learning because things are always changing. Passwords, technology, methods. Everything is becoming more efficient, more clean-cut and cold. That is why I was always in training. Nothing ever remains constant."

"I am Heero Yuy. That is my code name, one which will remain my name, simply because I do not remember what people called me, other than 'you' or 'kid.' I piloted Wing Gundam 01 and Wing Gundam Zero. I've killed millions just because I felt justified in doing so. I killed to make the colonies and all people safe and free. That is the way of it. I attempted suicide to keep my secrets safe, and that was justifiable to myself."

Relena tried not to think too much on the words or pain that spilled out of Heero's perfect mouth, or the fact that her resolve was deteriorating. She loved Heero, yes. But did he love her? Could he love her after all that she had done, after how she had failed him?

_ No._

"I worked very hard to do what I perceived as 'the Right Thing To Do.' I fought my battles, protected the world in the little ways I could. I became human, because of the woman I loved."

There were no gasps emitted from the people in the room. Everyone knew it was Relena. Everyone knew he loved her.

And yet, Relena sat quietly on the sofa next to him, regal and indifferent. The hurt and wonder she felt was disguised by her façade, often called 'the Mask of the Steel Butterfly.'

Aquarius stared at the two of them and wondered if Aramis was their child. Aramis. Poor child. Why didn't Relena accept him as hers? What was the secret that Heero and Relena held between them?

Heero sighed softly. "There is not much to the telling of my story, it is the same as the others, horror-filled and bullet-ridden. Aquarius, I am the only monster in this room. The only one who killed innocents," he paused and held up a hand as the other three ex-pilots made motion to speak. "Though it may have been mistake, it still haunts my soul. I am a walking closet, filled with skeletons of the men and women I have destroyed."

Relena bit back the tears and the pain that rose up inside her. She looked down and caught a glimpse of his hands.

They were shaking. Tiny tremors of fear.

_Heero._

Heero watched as Aquarius's eyes grew hard and angry. Angry at him. His only link to Relena was dying on the vine, and he knew it. Then he felt cool fingers lace through his own. Cool, smooth-skinned fingers, forfeit of jewelry. He didn't look at the woman next to him; he would lose his mind if he did.

"The fifth Gundam pilot is 02. Deathscythe Hell Custom's pilot." Relena felt Heero's fingers hold tighter. "Duo Maxwell lived a life of misfortune, say some; I say that he loved living, and in that, gave everyone hope, even when there was none."

Heero looked around at the faces of his friends and continued where Relena left off. "He was the best of us and sometimes the worst. He was our brother."

Quatre smiled. "There was never a dull moment when Duo was with any of us. It was in him to be the Robin Goodfellow of us five."

Relena smiled, knowing that tears gathered thick in her eyes. "Duo was orphaned at birth, and then he was taken in by a gang of street children. A few years later, those children died when a plague destroyed nearly all the poverty-stricken. The rich," she spat angrily, "the rich were given vaccines, while the destitute died in agony.

"Duo somehow managed to survive the sickness and was then sent to live in a Catholic church. There he met the only two people that he ever thought of as parental figures. Sister Helen and Father Maxwell.

"Four years after Duo was given sanctuary, the church and its people were bombed. It is known, on colony 02, as the Maxwell Church Bombing. For months, Duo drifted, until he ran into Professor G, the creator of Gundam Deathscythe. In the Gundam, Duo found a family."

The tears ran freely down her cheeks now, and Relena remembered how much she missed Sylvia and Duo.

Heero let out a tense breath and nodded. "Duo met one of Relena's best friends at a party four months after the Great Wars ended. Her name was Sylvia Noventa.

"Duo never shut up about Sylvia; he loved her, and he'd spend hours talking about her personality and her hair and her eyes and her fingers. He was so wrapped up in her, that he asked her to marry him . . . about two months later.

"Everybody was glad that two of the Thirteen were getting married, and so we all showed up. The wedding was huge. Duo would have it no other way."

Relena nodded softly. "Sylvia bore a child seven months later, with her light blonde hair and Duo's eyes." Her eyes held Aquarius's. "Aramis Jonathan Maxwell was born on a Tuesday, February 15."

"In AC 199, shortly before they tucked Aramis into bed, their doorbell rang, Sylvia answered it, with Duo on her heels. They were shot on sight, left to bleed to death on the front steps of their Dublin Mansion."

Relena sighed softly. "There was nothing anyone could do. However, there have been other attempts at . . . some others."

Aquarius narrowed her eyes and cocked her head gently, an act ignored by the Vice Foreign Minister.

Heero didn't miss it, but he continued, explaining what he knew of Aramis after his parents had been shot to death. "Aramis was found behind the sofa of the living room. From what we gather, both from his psychological state of mind then and now in the face of what happened, he witnessed his parents' death." Heero passed a hand over his forehead, and he once again felt Relena's fingers squeeze lightly.

"There are things that Aramis will be told when he is older, Riu, but until then, he is not to know of the stories that we tell." Wu Fei's voice wasn't flat; it carried a soft warning that panged in Aquarius's mind.

Aquarius stared at the one called Lady Une and let herself stare the woman down.

Lady began to sit up when the alarm began to scream. Someone was trying to break in.

Relena stared at the door of the room and immediately reached out to her daughter. Heero pulled them both behind the large couch and told them to stay there, no matter what. Relena started to reach for his second gun, holstered under the loose suit jacket he wore, and found Heero's hand gripping her wrist gently. He leaned down and she felt his lips brush her earlobe and nearly felt herself melt.

Nearly.

"You have to stay here and protect your daughter, stay here to be a safety net for Aramis." Heero allowed himself a whiff of her scent. Soft roses and dew. Moonlight and sweetness. God, he would die for her a thousand times but knew that to live for her he would have to survive.

His face hovered close to hers, and he gave her the Beretta, then stared at her and mouthed the words Relena never heard or saw because gunfire erupted from both sides of the door.

"I love you."


	7. Chapter Seven Waiting for the Beginning...

**Aquarian Wings**

By: A.R. Taloff

'I can't stand to fly, I'm not that naive,  
I'm just out to find the better part of me.'

_**Chapter Seven: Waiting for the Beginning of the End

* * *

Heero stood in front of the couch and knew that he shouted orders, followed by Quatre and Dorothy, Midii and Trowa, Wu Fei and Kai Ling, and even Lady. There was something in him, his bearing, that stated respect. Perhaps it was his voice, or the way he handled the situation with calm that made the rest listen.  
Bullets riddled the lock of the door, and the eight in the library crouched behind tables, loveseats and chairs, which, by bullet fire, spewed fluff and wood bits. Relena held Aquarius close and prayed. Prayed that Aramis was safe, prayed for time. Anything. Life. Her daughter's.  
Heero felt the backfire of the gun reverberate through his right arm and hoped that whoever was trying to get in was looking forward to being turned into Swiss cheese. The doors burst open, and Heero shouted to the group, signaling Relena to duck even lower and hold onto Aquarius.**_

The eight emptied half their magazines and waited for response. Heero stared at the doorway and found nothing. No one stood there.  
A cough was heard from the door's edge, and Heero elevated himself to catch a glimpse of the would-be intruder.  
"Jesus Friggin Christ, you'd think that the damn thing would just work right away, but no. Of fucking course not."

Heero almost choked out a sigh at the familiar voice and wiped the sweat from his brow. Zechs appeared with Noin at his side. Both looked like hell with a side dish of shit, obviously from a long trip. Noin looked strained, and Zechs's eyes had dark shadows underneath. He stared at Heero with a look of discontent. "You know, you almost shot my wife, dickweed."  
Heero shrugged and scratched his neck with his middle finger. "You almost gave my girl a heart attack, fuckshit."  
The corners of the silver haired man's lips twitched upwards, and he sighed. "Good to see you too, Yuy. Where's my baby sister?"  
Dorothy and Quatre smiled at the two comrades macho bantering and lowered their weapons, Trowa and Midii following suit. Lady and Noin embraced and whispered to each other calmingly.  
Heero turned to find Relena standing behind the couch, straightening her hair. She looked disgusted at the both of them. Pointedly ignoring Heero once again, the Vice Foreign Minister shot her older brother a dirty look and pointed the gun at his feet. "You nearly hurt my daughter," she said, her voice deadly.  
Zechs smiled tentatively and waved his Beretta in the air as though it was no big deal. "I wouldn't have -"  
He was cut off when a bullet made a destructive hole in the floorboards at his feet.  
Relena didn't find him amusing. "Don't press your luck. You nearly made me sick with worry when you didn't respond to my emails; now you expect my forgiveness when you put the lives of what's left of the Thirteen at risk. You're lucky I didn't shoot you in the thigh for your bad behavior."  
Zechs was still trying to understand her reaction and stared at the hole in the wooden flooring, hoping to find the answer there.  
Aquarius stood on her shaky legs and looked at the intruders with fear in her eyes.  
New people.  
Noin's sharp intake of breath was so audible that it brought Zechs back from his minor detour from reality. He looked up and caught sight of a tall, young, and very scared-looking girl. She was dressed as most teenagers were - jeans, T-shirts, probably a grungy pair of sneakers bedecked her feet. Aquarius, his baby sister's adopted child. Relena hadn't gone into much detail about why, just that she adored the young girl.  
That alone was enough for Zechs.  
But the look of absolute fear really scared the hell out of him. She'd obviously been through a lot in the last week, and since Relena, almost irkingly, had never bothered to tell him exactly how much damage had happened, he was pretty much in the dark about the pain that had been dealt.  
Relena expelled the tension with a sigh and found herself already forgiving Zechs, a trait which she had endlessly tried to ebb out of her personality. She lowered the gun and smiled softly, looking at her brother and his beautiful wife.  
"Aquarius, this is your uncle, Millardo Peacecraft, better known as Zechs Merquise, and his wife, Lucrezia Noin Peacecraft-Merquise."  
Zechs stepped closer, wanting to let the girl see that he was safe and that he wouldn't hurt her. She looked so desperate and childlike that he found himself remembering Mariemia.

One thing Heero knew that Relena hadn't expected was for Aquarius to grab the gun, which had been held lightly in Relena's left hand. In fact, he realized, everybody nearly passed out when Aquarius lunged and grabbed the loaded weapon in her shaking hands.  
Everyone, with the exception of Relena, that was. She stared at the gun, whichAquarius, having never really ever held a gun before, was holding in a very desperate and incapable grasp. Aquarius kept moving the gun between people, going from Wu Fei to Midii, to Relena and eventually everyone. It wavered about, trying to find its enemy.Fei felt his heartbeat in his ears, thudding like a drum. Riu with a gun. Unstable, she might shoot anyone. He mentally ticked off the statistics of teenagers who'd taken their own lives or the lives of others with light firearms.  
Relena stepped forward, immediately causing the youth to point the quavering weapon at her. Good. "Aquarius, darling, give me the gun."  
Riu shook her head wildly, and her eyes darted around the room in a way thatreminded Heero of how psychopaths do when they desire immediate freedom and will do anything to get that liberation.  
Heero didn't like how this was shaping up, even with the fact that the safety was on. Relena shouldn't have directed Riu's anger towards herself.  
The click of the safety was heard throughout the room as Riu shook her head again. "Mommy, I just want to have silence, please. I want silence, I want to be warm. I want peace. I want gone. I want to go home. Mommy," Riu continued the monologue with herself, her voice dropping to a dangerously quiet whisper.

Heero nearly went into cardiac arrest when he heard the safety lock click off. _Great. One hopeful end gone down the toilet with an unceremonious flush_. He needed to get Relena out of harm's way, and he needed it done yesterday.  
Relena sighed slowly. "Pumpkin pie, we can't go home with that gun. They won't let us go with that in our hands. Just give it to Mama, and we can go get warm." Relena chanced another step and held out her hand for the Beretta.  
Aquarius stared at the gun and slowly brought it to her temple, a triumphant look lighting upon her face. "I can get peace with this gun," she whispered to Relena softly, as though she shared a girlish secret about now using tampons. "I can go home, where it's warm. No blood or brains there now, Mommy." Aquarius looked so sure of herself, it was frightening. Relena tried to ignore the fact that Aquarius had now decided that no one but she deserved the bullet.

"Honey . . ."

Instead of the quiet plea she wanted to give Aquarius, an insidious voice interrupted, whispering something that had not been spoken in many years.

"_Adriaaaaan . ._ ."

Kai Ling had stared at Riu, who looked three seconds to pulling the trigger of Heero Yuy's gun. The legendary mercenary kept his guns oiled to perfection, and it was said of him that any weapons of Heero's were so touch-sensitive that he barely needed to depress the trigger and it would go off. She needed to get the girl's attention before more insides decorated any walls. An idea had taken shape in her mind then, of a soft whisper Kai had heard whispered between Fei and Lady. "Aquarius Julianna Renata Peacecraft. Much better than Adrian Jones."

"If you don't put that gun down, Adrian, I'll hurt your new Mommy," continued Kai Ling in her most cruel voice, hoping against all odds that this tactic would give leeway.

Riu immediately focused her attention on this newcomer to her party. The gun was instantly trained on the intruder. Newcomer was mean. "No."  
Kai crept forward, pulling out her own gun. She pointed it at Relena and grinned in a way she hoped came off as scary to Riu. "I'll hurt your Mama so bad they won't even want to see her when she lays in her coffin, Adrian."

Heero glanced at Wu Fei in tense understanding that Adrian was Riu's old name.  
That Kai was doing this for effect and that Relena couldn't possibly try to evade a bullet in her condition. But Wu Fei was keeping his own terrified eyes on the agent, all the while trying to decide exactly what Kai was hoping to accomplish other than drive Riu into a complete mental breakdown.

Adrian/Aquarius's face grew taut, and her eyes grew even more frenzied than before. The trigger was so close, all she had to do was pull it, and the bad person would stop playing tricks on her new Mommy. The bad people would go away. Everything would go back to normal again.

She pulled the trigger and heard a thud, dully realizing that it was her gun.

Kai knew the bullet was coming before Riu's finger even moved and rolled swiftly to her right, feeling a sharp pain in her back thigh for her troubles. She grimaced, realizing that something, most likely a large chunk of wood, had lodged itself in her leg.

Riu immediately returned back from her delusion and dropped the gun quickly, causing it to let out another shot, which hit a bookcase, causing pages and more splinters to fly. She jumped from the noise and found that her legs were no longer able to bear her weight and that someone's arms were holding her tightly. "Mommy . . ." she said softly, letting her eyelids droop after she had seen that Relena's arms warmly held her close.  
Relena gritted her teeth against the pain that was caused by trying to hold up her daughter. The stress had been taking its toll on her body, leaving her sore, stiff, and unable to perform most menial tasks without Ibuprofen. Because without, she would grimace in pain, letting the others know what she did to herself. Relena understood that she taxed herself too hard. She wasn't stupid or naive. She also didn't want everyone to shelter her from the facts. It bothered her more than they knew.

Kai felt Fei's arms around her and decided that for once she'd pretend that it was okay to be normal; an average person. She let herself be scolded, let herself go to darkness. Let herself be human for a change. It wouldn't hurt. Not now, when she knew she was bleeding and Wu Fei was going to take care of her. She'd sleep and dream now; she'd dream of Wu Fei and the good times that they'd had, without the knowledge that he still pined for his courageous and dead wife. She'd pretend that he loved her, Kai Ling the little half-breed from Misfit Island.

Heero found himself at Relena's side, nearly seconds after the shock of it all. Zechs was there too, prying Aquarius from his sister's arms and allowing Yuy to take Relena into his.  
Zechs knew how they felt about each other. It was too obvious to reject, and Heero's possessiveness was damn obnoxious most of the time. Right now, Relena needed to be coddled and held, and Aquarius needed Valium and a good rest before anything else triggered another bout of mental imbalance. He'd find out about the rest of this before too long and then have a talk with Relena.

He didn't have to tell everyone that seeing Aquarius's stunt nearly caused himself to loose control of his already near-bursting bladder. Things like that weren't suited for ex-mercenaries. Heero himself probably got an ulcer from it.  
They were getting soft in their age.

The thought was distressing.

* * *

Heero watched everyone move about Aquarius with purpose, his blue eyes glittering in a way that denoted deep thought. She was laying on a bed in an ICU room where the doctors monitored her carefully. Aquarius was hooked up to a drip IV and food source, and would be until she woke up. Relena had been well enough to be sent to her bedroom for bed-rest, where, Heero knew, she would pace and worry and devise some plan to sneak out and check on Aquarius and Kai.

Kai Ling had been hit in the thigh by the ricocheting bullet and needed it removed surgically. Wu Fei had not left her bed-side, even had went so far as to pull rank in the emergency room. Kai's plan hadn't included the possibility of metal beams under the flooring, which was the reason the bullet ended up in her thigh, though Heero was proud of the agent for the strategy that had ended the madness.

Heero kept his eyes on the brunette who lay in the bed, surrounded by interns and doctors alike. He knew about the elusive Adrian Jones, who'd killed her mother in self defense then disappeared. It had been plastered on papers everywhere: Daughter Smashes Mother's Head In With Skillet. There were X-rays of shattered bones, doctors' records of stitches, and almost every photograph Adrian owned had her ornamented with bruises and cuts. It was an easy trial. Mother guilty, Adrian protected herself in defense of her mother's abuse. There was nothing else to say other than that a fragile girl who'd been dealt years of pain had finally broken.

But where Relena came in, now that was the tricky part. Relena had been in San Francisco before and after the quick trial had taken place, there for a goodwill tour of the Americas. Had Relena met Adrian one day, made easy friends with the youth? Relena's gift of speech made her a likable person to nearly everyone, her charm was so subtle that the hardest heart could be tamed by her gentleness.  
It was difficult to speculate the reasoning about Adrian's adoption. The girl was obviously fragile when it came to stress, and she was very protective of those she chose to love. Kai threatening Relena was brilliant, but only so brilliant as to make herself a target.  
Adrian/Aquarius would never harm Relena, and Relena had known that. No one else had though, and that was the one fallacy of her plan to place herself in harm's way.

He turned and looked into Kai's room. Wu Fei was smiling and talking to Kai, all the while holding her hand between his own two.  
That girl had put herself into the line of fire to save Relena and Aquarius. She was interesting, that Irish-Chinese girl. Her attitude was a feisty one, exactly what Wu Fei needed in a partner. Someone who could lighten him up but could take care of herself and others. She knew when to ask others for help, knew how to take criticism, and knew how to deal it out. Kai Ling was the best choice to complement the too serious Wu Fei, who had hid in a shell after Duo died. Fei had just begun to climb out of his cave when their brother and sister died, and that in itself caused him to regress, though not as much as Meiren's or Sensei Long's or Sally's death had. Fei currently was at the peak of his forthcoming, and it was obvious from the way he spoke of his dead wife. Aquarius, Relena, but mostly Kai's presence had done that to him.

Heero took a deep breath and decided that he needed to buckle down and talk to Relena. She had kept right on ignoring him after he'd carried her to the mini-hospital in SafeHouse Six, and he was damn sick of it.

* * *

Relena had let herself out of her spacious room and into the library to think.  
Nothing worked better than pretending to read when you wanted alone time. No one bothered you, not at all, when they thought you were reading something that would better the world. She could've been reading a trashy romance novel, and the populace wouldn't have said a damn thing.

_ Heero._

She couldn't get him out her mind. Why he had said that he loved her out loud, she didn't know. Why he shook when he looked at Aquarius's face was another mystery.  
There was a new facet of Heero Yuy that Relena had missed. A different personality hadevolved over the years. She had seen it over the last month and a half of confinement in this SafeHouse. Watched him play with his son, joke around with Lady and Zechs, even going as far as to challenge Dorothy to a playful game of chess, knowing as well as everyone else knew that Dorothy was a champion of the strategy game. She'd thwarted him almost immediately, and he'd laughed when Quatre made a dirty remark about her being strategic in other areas of play as well.  
Something drastic had changed in him, and she had missed it. There was still the old Heero Yuy, the brains and brawn and capability to destroy that there had been before; just now there was the Heero Yuy that liked long walks and cuddling and telling silly stories to his son at bedtime. When she finally decided to notice this, it felt like a slap on the face to see what he had become. Obviously being an uncle had helped, but he was all father. Seeing him this way made her heart ache; was this the person hidden under all that Heero Yuy used to be?

Parts of her heart denied this, while others believed that Relena had made a grave mistake in not telling Heero about their child.  
_Gwynhwyfer_. Relena blinked back tears that the name elicited from her.

Heero watched her from the doorway and knew that she was not reading. It was a tactic she'd secretly shared with him, about how when she had a really big idea in her head and didn't want to be bothered, she'd grab Tolstoy or Thoreau, sit in her library, and pretend to read.  
She was dressed in a thick cerulean blue sweater, jeans, and warm looking socks.

He remembered how she'd stick her cold feet underneath his behind when they sat on a couch, grinning and telling him how she had chronic cold feet disease. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, and he remembered the feel of those long  
tresses. He remembered so much about her, and because of that, he was haunted. Haunted by the memories of how she felt beneath him, how she smelled, how soft she was …

_ And dammit man, if you want to feel that way again, do something about it:_ echoed Duo's all too familiar voice.

Heero pushed off the doorjamb and wandered over to Relena. He carefully sat on her ice cold feet. Christ, he could feel them through the denim of his jeans and cotton of his boxers.  
Relena, in response, did nothing.  
He waited for nearly a minute, ticking off the seconds in his head. He had learned patience from Aramis, but right now, patience was not the operative action. Heero had used that before, and it got him precisely nowhere. He needed to be impatient, obnoxious.  
_ Think Aramis, Yuy. What would Aramis do at a time like this: _An idea poofed into his mind.  
He gently tilted the book up so that he could read the back cover, which had a small summary about the book, and then proceeded to recite it out loud to the empty library. Relena was watching him above the lenses of her reading glasses, her blue eyes trying not to belie how she felt inside: like a silly girl.  
Heero knew she watched him now but continued reading:  
"She was a mesmerizing sight, as perfect as an ice sculpture, but with one passion-igniting kiss, Cale Whitfield could tell that she was pure fire. So when the former secret service expert was hired to provide security at her wedding, he vowed he'd do  
whatever it took to claim the bride as his . . ."  
Heero realized that Relena wasn't ever going to admit that she was really into cheap romance novels, so he continued, trying to smother his own laughter.

Relena on the other hand, nearly expired from the realization that the book she had always used to describe how much her employees ignored what she read was exactly what she grabbed. Midii had gotten addicted to the things almost four months ago, and Relena must have really been a space case, to grab this horrific piece of literature. All right, it wasn't too horrific, but to tell anyone the truth was like screaming to a hoard of feminists that she liked fetching a man's slippers. She wanted to disappear into a magical hole that would appear sometime to rescue her from complete embarrassment. She needed to get this book away from Heero, before he humiliated her further, but he snatched it out of her shocked fingers, stood, and continued in a sugary sap voice.  
"Joanna Damaron couldn't give him any promises, knew that loving him might be courting danger, but after she'd tasted his rough sensuality, would she be able to let him go?" Heero finished with a suspenseful voice, looking at Relena inquisitively.

"So, does she?" he inquired softly.

Relena stared at him, dumbfounded, and Heero fought off the urge to pump hisarm and fist in complete joy.  
He sat down, and looked at the Vice Foreign Minister seriously. "Relena, you've been ignoring me for a little too long. I am sick of these games."  
Immediately, Relena regained most of her wits. "I haven't been ignoring you alone, Heero. You just haven't been a-."  
"Around? Relena, you've run into me four times in the last twenty four hours alone. I have purposely run into you six times, and we've eaten four meals sitting right next to one another." He looked at her with a pinning gaze.  
Relena supposed that crow probably tasted like chicken, but knew that if she tried to go anywhere with the 'I haven't been ignoring you' line, she'd be forced to find out at dinner tonight.

"Relena, I understand why you didn't tell me about our baby."

Relena stared at him, just then realizing how much it hurt him to say that. It wasapparent in the quiver of self-consciousness and self-derision.

"I know how I acted. I know that I wasn't the best of men, but Aramis showed me how I could become one. I know that you weren't afraid of me hurting you in any other way but out of responsibility." He looked down at his hands.  
"I wasn't even close to being who I am today. It took Duo and Sylvia and no war and loving you and Aramis in my life and the huge house with the nannies and pools and orchards and trees and Christmas lights, even the ones that don't work right away, and Thanksgiving with too much turkey and cranberry sauce." He ran a hand through his hair.  
"All those things made me a better person than I was. I know you loved me then, and I know you loved me after. And I know you were right in the decision you made. You were right to think that I'd marry you out of responsibility. But I hope I would have married you out of love and love for our baby. I don't know exactly how I would've reacted then. Hell, I don't know how I'd react now. All I know is that . . . I don't know."  
Relena sighed. "Heero, it was a long time ago . . ." she pawned off. "I was young.  
We both were. I just was too young. Too busy. I didn't care enough about myself. Don't  
feel bad about the baby. It wasn't your fault . . ."  
Heero grabbed her fidgeting hands and yanked her close to him. "It wasn't yours  
either," he bit off.  
When she saw how angry he instantly became, Relena's eyes grew wide and scared with guilt. "I . . ." She knew that he knew that she blamed herself. It wouldn't have taken him very long to figure out anyways. He knew her inside out and right side left, and even though he had evolved and so had she, he knew how to elicit the truth when it came right down to it. He had just needed to find the right path for now. Before, when she was a young girl, his previous approaches might have served him well, but now, forget it.  
"Tell me . . . please," he whispered softly as he brushed his lips over her temple.  
:_Dammit Heero, you turn me inside out, just like you did before . . . why can't the  
past have never happened . . . :_ "Her name was Gwynhywfer. The nurses said she had dark brown hair. It was curly." Relena squeezed her eyes tight. Found that it wasn't hard to evoke the memory of her daughter. "I miscarried."  
Heero held her close, murmuring in her hair, listening to her pain.  
She took what comfort he gave, knowing that he meant it. It felt good to share the  
grief of death with another. "I held her inside of me, and she kicked and told me she was  
there. She was there always. My little baby girl. I didn't want anything else but to have  
your baby. I knew I'd never have you, but your baby would love me and I'd have a part of you that was only for me to have."  
Heero felt everything squeeze inside with every word that spilled out of Relena's  
mouth. It was like a vise was around his entire chest and it just kept tightening. He'd never known what it was like to feel a baby's kick. He'd never seen how perfect a child between them could be. All because he didn't know any better. He didn't get it then, but there'd be hell to pay if anyone got in his way now. He knew what and how he'd messed up, but he'd be damned if he'd let it happen again.  
Relena sobbed in his arms until there was nothing left but a headache and him. She sniffled on his shirt and nearly started crying anew when she saw how much she'd ruined his shirt. She said as much when he asked why, and he laughed at her.  
"Shirts I can buy any day." He pressed his lips to her hot forehead and brushed  
aside her bangs.  
Relena sniffed again and then blew her nose on the Kleenex that had magically  
appeared near her fingers. No, not normal magic, Heero magic. Never, not once, did she  
stop looking at Heero's face. There were differences. Old scars had faded, and a new one  
sparkled on the left side of his forehead. Crows feet danced at the edges of his eyes and  
smile lines were etched where once there had been nothing.  
He was a older now, with a son and a job, a house and maids.  
And he still wanted her.  
He smiled softly, and the smile lines deepened, dimples appearing. When had he  
ever had dimples? "I never thought you liked those cheesy romance novels."  
Her eyes squinted at him. "What are you talking about, I d-."  
Heero's eyes narrowed slyly. "Oh, but you do." He kissed the ring on her left  
hand. "Otherwise you wouldn't have worn this."  
"But Sylvia said that one of the neighbor boys had a crush on me, and he had made this for his apprenticeship with Duo," Relena fought off a grin.  
"Well, it's half true." He lined his hand up with hers, seeing how much smaller hers were to his. "But I think you hoped it was me, since I was one of Duo's more difficult and infamous apprentices."

Aquarius hadn't said a word to anyone after she woke up, she just looked around the room, ignoring everyone's presence.  
Everyone, but Aramis.

He began sneaking in the day after shed woken up. He brought dorky little gifts to  
her with a big grin on his face. One day it was bubbles, the next it was coloring books.  
Nothing was too silly or too wrong. Aramis was perfect, the way everyone should be.

It was three days before Aramis asked about what happened. He already knew that something had happened. Relena and his father had begun holding hands, and they both had sat down and explained what had happened to Aquarius. Aramis was glad they trusted him, but now he wanted to see exactly what Aquarius had to say about the ordeal.  
"I don't really remember. I know that my uncle arrived, and then, that I was very  
cold and thinking many things at once. I didn't know what to do. I was scared. No ones  
told me what I did, but I remember seeing Kai on the floor and she was bleeding. I shot  
her."  
Aramis looked at her with honest eyes. They didn't judge, just took in.  
Aquarius smiled softly at him. "Come 'ere," she said, motioning her lap. He  
complied, snuggling into the quilt that Dorothy had made, and then given to Aquarius. She propped her chin on his head. "I'm going to tell you a story."

Relena snuggled close to Heero that night and felt safe. The large couch in the  
great room was very comfortable, and they held one another through the night. He hadn't  
asked anything else of her. Not a kiss, not romance, just her presence. They talked. Lord,  
they talked for hours, about everything and nothing. She rested her head over his heart  
and heard it thunk in his chest.  
"Thump thump . . . thump thump."  
He chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair. "Do you remember Duo's  
wedding?"  
"Mmm-hmmm."  
"Remember when Hilde showed up? I don't think anyone thought she wouldn't.  
We kept on believing right on up until she finally led Sally down the isle."  
"I miss them." Relena remembered how much Hilde had taught her when it came  
down to business; in fact, the ethics taught could be transferred to politics. Hilde always  
had a grin on her face, a laugh in her eyes. If she and Duo hadn't been so close, there  
might have been reason to believe the two were in love with one another. But Hilde had  
met Gavin, and the two had nearly fallen into each other.  
"Has Hilde even responded at all?"  
Heero rubbed his closed eyes with the palm of his hand. "No, but my source says  
that she, Gavin, and Howard have flight plans for 0100 Earth time this morning. They  
should be here in about ten hours." Heero tried to banish bad thoughts from his mind;  
Hilde and Howard were the last left to come.  
"Remember how Sally use to call us up and tell us to go in for check-ups. I swear  
to God that that woman was psychic. She knew us inside and out."  
Relena smiled. "Sally felt you all needed a mother. So she became one."  
Heero's eyes smarted with tears as he thought back to Sally in the final stages of  
her cancer. It was a deadly viral cancer that clotted internal organs, and she had most  
likely received it during the Great War, or the revolutionary attack. It had lain dormant for years, then cropped up, allowing her only a year at most, to live. Sally's skin, once peach with life and love, had yellowed, her hair grayed and she eventually died in her sleep.  
Wu Fei had been there throughout the ordeal. Wu Fei, out of all of them, felt her  
absence the most.  
Relena kissed his chest softly, and he looked down, holding her eyes. "I miss her, too."

Hilde opened the door and walked inside, shaking her head. Howard had unlocked  
the doors again. Gavin had warned her that Howard didn't believe anything would happen to them in this part of the Mars colonization.  
"Gavin, baby, I'm home!" she shouted up the stairs and walked into the kitchen,  
dropping the bags on the counter.  
She waited for her fiancé to come bounding down the stairs to greet her and  
received silence for all her efforts. Gavin must have fallen asleep with Cheshire, their cat.  
He did that constantly. It was rare that Gavin wasn't found on their huge bed with  
Cheshire curled up on his belly. Hilde would sit sometimes, just watching them. It was at  
those times that she truly thought about her life. Everything that she had wanted and  
believed in.  
She fingered the locket that Duo had given her for their last Christmas before he died. It was true, she had loved him.  
Everytime she put the locket on, she remembered Duo, or an adventure that they'd had. She remembered how he looked when he laughed. There was something to be said about that. It was a look that could be held in your mind to always make you smile. It was a happy thought, one that if Tinkerbell danced in now, could make her soar higher than the stars.  
She loved Gavin, was lucky enough to find love in two men. Two good, wonderful, and loving men. But Duo had fallen for Sylvia Noventa in a flash, far harder and stronger than he could ever have loved Hilde. So she'd let him be happy, became Sylvia's sister and confidante. She dashed away the tears that pooled in her eyes. Damn things.  
Hilde walked into the living room, around through the paneled doors and around  
the corner to her office. She could always think there, in a place where there was infinite  
solitude. Hilde put some soft music on and turned to see that her computer had been  
activated.  
Someone was here.  
Hilde walked to the PC and leaned over it. Her mind raced with a thousand  
thoughts as she stilled herself to hear the assassin's breathing. She knew that she had  
deleted everything on her drives before leaving to go grocery shopping. The intruder  
hadn't come for what was on her PC though. He'd come for Howard and her.  
Hilde knew that Gavin was most likely dead, with Cheshire and Howard. Gavin  
hadn't even known why someone would seek him for death. She regretted that decision.  
Perhaps he hadn't known though. Perhaps he'd remained asleep, only felt the prick of  
death.  
With her last moments, she remembered Duo, Heero, Relena's smile. Heero had  
said that they'd finally gotten together. She wouldn't be able to see them together for  
awhile. Aramis, her dear nephew; how would he fare? Trowa, Quatre, Midii;  
Dorothy, that crazy woman. She remembered a thousand adventures and how she lived  
her life. Hilde felt everything all over again and knew that she would have done it over  
again in a second, given the chance.  
As she turned, she knew that before she was cold, Heero's sources would find her  
body.

Relena woke the next morning. She had fallen asleep beside Aquarius in her room.  
Aquarius had been moved there late that night. Aramis had crawled in on Relena's other side because Heero had decided to wait at the Spaceport for the last two and Gavin. But now the bed was empty and she was alone. She ran a hand through her hair and untangled herself from the covers.  
She walked down the stairs and saw Heero walk in. Relena put on her best sleepy  
grin, but bit it back when she saw Heero's eyes. He hadn't shaved at all, and his eyes  
looked so much older than they had last night. Relena's sleepy mind began to wake up as  
many thoughts started to connect in her mind.  
In a matter of seconds she had rushed down the stairs and into his arms.  
He was here, not at the Spaceport.  
Heero slid a hand down her cheek and held her close.

Relena was bewildered by this, but hugged him just the same. Then she saw Trowa and Quatre standing in the doorway. Quatre's face was wet with tears, and Aramis was being held by Aquarius, who looked lost.  
"Hilde . . ." Relena whispered desperately, more denial than anything.  
Heero's shoulders shook with silent sobs and she held onto him. Her vision went  
blurry, and they knelt, holding one another close, to the floor at the foot of the stairway.  
Wu Fei walked in, his face stoicly cold and his eyes opaque as they were black.  
"They found Hilde Schbeiker's body this morning at 2:00 am Earth time. The assassin was also dead, a letter opener in his jugular. Howard and his grandson, Gavin, were found dead in their separate beds."  
"The assassin wasn't the perp."


	8. Chapter Eight Fear is Essential

**A/N: Hello! Sorry for the radio silence! **I'm back though, on and off. I'd like to thank the readers who stuck with me! Here's the eighth chapter, and unfortunately, it is gory. I know I have it marked as an adult story, but there are graphic details, so be careful while you read.

As always, comments and criticism are welcomed, enjoyed, and read! Thank you again and enjoy!**

* * *

**

**Aquarian Wings**

By A.R. Taloff

"I need your help to get up from my knees,  
Cause I can't seem to see the forest for the trees,  
And as I wait in my darkened misery,  
All I'm asking is please."

**_Chapter Eight: Fear is Essential_**

* * *

Wu Fei led the procession, with the exception of Aramis and Aquarius, up to Lady Une's Mannheim office.

The office, which was really just one of the larger storage rooms hastily turned into a minor habitat for the workaholic, was surprisingly homey, smelling of potpourri and good coffee. Heero had decided, after his first visit to the office, to find her secretary and congratulate the woman. She must've taken house care classes. Lady had to be the biggest slob in the entire outfit.

The office consisted of three tables, two desks, one computer, one laptop, four phones, two coffee makers, a couch and two chairs, a fridge which probably, Heero thought, held the coffee, a microwave, and desk and supplies for her secretary.

It was particularly sad to see that every available space was covered with papers.

Abigail June was standing in front of the double doors to Lady's office with her jaw hanging open. At the ping of an elevator, she spun around, ready to berate her boss for the hurricane of papers. Lady walked out, saw Abby, and nearly about-faced to run back to the elevator.

There was something about Abby June that gave on-lookers the idea that she was cute and perky and small and very compliant. Perhaps it was her tiny, 4'9" frame, or her strawberry blonde hair that was always pulled back in a chic coif with little whispy things, or her baby powder perfume, or her little business suits with scarves and pins.

Unfortunately for Lady Une, Abby had a personality of steel and knew secretarial work inside and out. Lady had thought she hired a pretty little flower four years ago, yet now the pretty little flower description was laughable. Abby was intelligent but felt that Lady  
needed a keeper and mother as well; she was always butting into personal matters and taking the reins over Lady's head. Nosey obnoxious nanny was the new description.

Heero found the entire scene of Abby biting Lady's head off hilarious, particularly the part where Abby locked Une out of the office and told her that the wreckage might harm one of the Agents. Until Abby was finished straightening everything out, Lady could take the meeting somewhere else. So now they were in the small area outside the office, waiting patiently for Abby to finish. Lady paced the floors, threatening the pert little blonde with firing squads and court-martialing and unemployment lines and the like, while Heero, Relena, Midii, Wu Fei, Quatre, Dorothy, Zechs, Trowa, and Noin watched.

Finally Abby opened the doors and threw out a garbage bag, then another, and then stepped out herself, smiling a thousand Watt-er. "You may go in now, Ms. Une. It's a pleasure to see you all this lovely morning. There is fresh coffee and Danish on the table."

Lady never ceased to be afraid and surprised by her secretary. _Christ, the woman was a Schizo._

Heero took a seat on a chair and pulled Relena down on his lap, much to her delight and outward consternation.

Trowa looked around the now pristine office. "You know, I wouldn't want to get her really mad, Lady, she just might whip out a lemony fresh AK-47 or a gardenia-spritzed grenade and kill us all."

"Shut-up, Bloom, or I'll take the liberty myself."

Lady ran a hand through her hair and sighed softly. "The assassin isn't the perp."

Quatre frowned and slashed down with his arm and hand. "No way. Hilde killed him last night. We all heard."

Wu Fei flared up at that. "Lady's right, the perp wasn't the assassin. We all know that he works together with someone else. No way in hell could he have gotten from Pastorale to the parking lot in a matter of seconds. Besides-"

Midii stepped forward between the two, who continued the argument. "Hey, guys, calm-oof!" she grunted as Wu Fei came up behind and just ran right smack into her. She glared and elbowed the Chinese man back, then reached up and grabbed Winner's face, making the platinum blond's lips purse out like a fish. "HEY!" she shouted, a little louder than was probably necessary.

The two shut up and stared down. Midii felt like a midget at 5'1", quashed between Wu Fei, who was 5'8" and Quatre, who'd shot up like a nasty weed and leveled at 6'1". She remembered the good old days of them both being blonde squirts together, but now, well, she just wished some of Dorothy's Amazonian height would rub off.

Dorothy laughed at Quatre's disgusted and surprised fish face and Wu Fei apologized, rubbing his side.

Midii released the blond's face and smiled. "Sorry, you guys need to shut up and cool down."

Quatre rubbed his jaw and looked sheepish. "It's I who should apologize, Wu Fei,Midii, I'm sorry. We're all a little disoriented and I just forgot it, that's all."

Trowa grinned as Midii nodded and gave him a hug. That seemed to neutralize all tension.

Lady continued after they situated themselves on the various chairs and couches. "The perp, as I said, isn't the man who was killed last night, but for whatever reason, Wu Fei magically knew that." She shot the agent a questioning look. "Care to share who your inside source is, Chang?"

Wu Fei closed his eyes, seeing blood and tears all over again. "Duo Maxwell."

Everyone zeroed in on Wu Fei.

He sighed and shook his head. "I'm not crazy, I haven't been talking to God. Duo regained consciousness before finally passing away. He told me to watch over you all and mentioned Relena and Heero, as well as Aramis. His last words, besides saying that Sylvia was calling for him, were that I should kill the 'Stone Eyes.'"

Lady gave Wu Fei a quizzical look. "Chang, I've read those reports, no one . . ."

"Read them again Lady, my report includes Duo waking up and speaking to me. I didn't write down what he said, but I think you can understand how I wouldn't forget the last thing someone spoke to me."

Lady's cheeks burned red. "But-"

Heero leaned forward in the chair. "Why didn't you tell anyone, man?"

Wu Fei looked up. "Because, I didn't know what to tell you all. We were all upset, and I knew that telling you what Duo looked like as he died wasn't a happier thought. It never really occurred to me that you should know. I knew that you'd believe me when we caught the perp, but we haven't."

Dorothy shook her head softly and crossed her arms across her chest. "But you've seen that the perp doesn't do things himself, at least not jobs that could get him killed."

"The perp wasn't the perp until he murdered Duo," Relena said quietly, and everyone nodded slowly in agreement. "He probably didn't go to Mars himself, no, because it would be too much fun to see if we made an appearance. He knows we're hiding in Mannheim."

"He knew damn well that missing us would be a bigger travesty than missing Hilde. What's better, the errant goose or your pick of the flock . . ." noted Trowa with a touch of anger in his voice.

"He wants my blood," was Relena's whispered response.

Heero's lips tightened. "Lady, what happened that led you to think that he wasn't the assassin?"

Une picked up an unmarked letter. "He left us a little note this morning. A young man, Thomas Herzmeier, was the unlucky one to find the letter. He was dealt a deadly wound in the head for picking it up."

Lady picked up her cup of coffee and leaned against the desk. "Why don't you all look at it." She tossed the piece of paper on the coffee table, which was now devoid of the stacks of books and files and coffee cups with variant levels of black liquid in them.

Quatre took a Kleenex and grabbed the letter. It wasn't very long or detailed.

Just a score card really.

Under the title 'Me' were ten little tally marks. Under 'You' was one lonely tally.

"Fucker!" shouted Quatre. "Who the fuck keeps a score of the dead!" He sent it to the table again, where everyone took a glance at the macabre letter.

Dorothy grabbed him and gently held him in her arms.

Midii held it up and counted off the names. "Duo, Sylvia, Relena's housekeeper, baby Winner . . ."

Quatre growled and turned on Midii. "Just fuckin' wave it around some more, why don't you!"

Trowa slipped in front of Midii, who hadn't cowered at the violence that sprung up in Quatre. He placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Quatre, she doesn't mean it badly. Calm down, your nerves are twitching."

Quatre looked very tired and strained, and everyone knew that he'd been wandering the halls at night. He turned and looked at Dorothy, who nodded. He sighed in concession."Dorothy, take me to our room. I need some sleep." Quatre, the most austere and brilliant businessmen of his time walked out the door, looking as though he had nothing.

When it clicked behind the Winner millionaire's exit, Trowa looked at Dorothy. "Put some sleeping meds in his tea. He's unstable and tired, and he'll do anything."

Dorothy looked down at the ground.

Zechs glared at her. "Do it, or you'll lose him for good."

Her head whipped up and she looked at him for a long minute, nodded, and left.

Lady looked at the ceiling. "We're soft. You're soft. It's pathetic. This creep knows how to hit us in the right spots. I just wish he'd get to the end of this game, before we all go stark raving mad. Quatre's about ready to commit suicide, Aquarius is becoming Schizophrenic, I'm becoming the world class, gold medal bitch, Dorothy is stressed out and becoming an insomniac, Zechs is getting ulcers, and Wu Fei is going to go vigilante on our asses."

Midii's lips quirked up and she started to laugh.

Relena and Heero started to giggle, and soon the entire room was laughing.

When they sobered, Midii looked at her fingers and the letter. "I still only have seven. "

Noin looked at her and did the math in her head. "She's right. Duo, Sylvia, Relena's housekeeper, baby Winner, Hilde, Howard, and Gavin."

Lady nodded, the realization breaking through. "He probably added the person who would pick the letter up."

They nodded.

"Only eight though."

Heero nearly jumped out of his seat. "He's killed again."

* * *

**Deaths 1 and 2**

Duo's body was splayed out on the concrete, one pinpoint shot in his forehead, three in his chest. Blood and some brain matter covered his once pristine white shirt and black tux. His tie, still not made, was in his hand. Sylvia had been shot first, which accounted for the cerebral material on his shirt. The blood was mostly his though.

Sylvia's head was tilted, facing him. The entirety of the back of her head was gone, in fact, only a tiny bit of her hair was still left. Her face was like the mask that you wear to a party; it was all that was left of her skull. She had been shot five times, twice in the head and three times in the chest, blowing out most of her internal organs. The perp had used two weapons, a very nice pinpoint Beretta and a very old and decrepit revolver.

The nice, pinpoint Beretta had only used two bullets, while the revolver had used eight. He had had to reload.

Their white cheerful door, with its flowered wreath, was covered with their blood and brain matter. The wooden floor was dyed with blood, as was the welcome mat and some of the foyer mirror.

Blood stained the sidewalk and grass.

**Death 3**

Mrs. Johnson lay on the wooden floor of Relena's Europa mansion dining room.

Her brain matter covered the walls along with blood and what was left of a thousand dollar collection of ancient Andrew Wyeth prints. Her face, or what was left of it, still had the horror and pain of becoming a victim engraved in it. The body was covered in glass shards, which caused some minor injury, but by the time she hit the floor, she was dead.

Her clean white apron and pastel dress were completely drenched in her blood. The floor was also stained.

**Death 4**

Baby Winner had been crushed in his mother's womb when the car hit her head on. His entire body was flattened. Dorothy Victoria Marie Catalonia-Raberba Winner's uterine walls needed healing time; the blood was only that which had recently built up to perform the normal protection of the baby while it remained in her womb. Fertility and ability to bear children in the future are not a worry.

**Deaths 5, 6, and 7**

Gavin and the cat, Cheshire obviously not counted by tallies had first been both shot in the stomach with one bullet. The cat had been then shot in the head, and then Gavin was also given that solace. The assassin had waited though, to put Gavin out of misery.

Then both had been hit with two other shots.

Howard had been shot in the back of the head, leaving no trace of his face at all. Brain matter and blood covered his current book, Utopia, and most of his desk in the library, particularly a picture of himself and his wife, Sandra.

Hilde had been shot only once, in the forehead. Her brain matter and blood covered the monitor of her computer and desk.

The assassin's blood covered the ground and Aubusson carpet. He had been hit in the jugular with Hilde's letter opener. He had lived for a few minutes and then died as it went through his spinal cord upon hitting the floor.

**Death 8**

Thomas Herzmeier's body was splayed about the steps of the Preventers Mannheim Headquarters. One bullet went neatly through the back of his head and another through his heart.

* * *

Wu Fei read the reports to Relena, Heero, Noin, Zechs, and Trowa. Midii had been called to Quatre and Dorothy's room and then to check up on Aramis and Aquarius, who were in Aquarius's room. 

Lady Une was checking her sources for the last two deaths, as Wu Fei and the others went through the perp files and tried to find out if there was a method.

So far, Relena had only begun to realize how hardened Trowa, Wu Fei, Quatre, Zechs, and Heero had become. How solid Dorothy, Lady, and Noin must be, and how difficult it must have been for Hilde to give up. It was a painful realization, she found, at how easily they all could detach themselves from the dead.

Heero had pulled her away before he and she had entered the private and high security room.

"Relena, you're going to be seeing and hearing a lot of classified information." He sighed and looked away at her quirked eyebrow and look, which said, "Duh".

"What I mean is that you're going to be seeing multiple, not just one or two, pictures of the deaths of everyone who has been killed." He looked at the linoleum and took a deep breath. "You'll see Duo and Sylvia and your nanny and everyone. It's still not that easy for us, mercenaries and the like, to look at these pictures. The best way is to pretend that you haven't ever seen these people. That there are no memories of anything.If you need to leave, it'll be all right."

Relena knew that he was worried she'd get mad for him saying this. It was very obvious between the look on his face and the words from his lips. She slid her fingers under his jaw and tilted his face up to look at her. "I know."

So here she sat, staring at slide after slide of their final photos. It was hard not to break down into tears, particularly when baby Winner had been shown. It was heinous, she thought, for them to put the scans of the baby up there for everyone to see. She knew that these files would be kept away from Quatre and Dorothy because of the effect that they would have on the couple.

It was harder to see poor Thomas Herzmeier, who was someone's son, husband, father.

Someone who was innocent and unknowing.

All through it, Heero's hand had held hers, offering what little comfort it could.

Relena's heart sank when Duo and Sylvia had been shown.

She'd never seen them, even at the funeral; their coffins had been sealed. It was no wonder why. Aramis could only have been hurt by seeing them, Hilde only destroyed.

And it was all revenge.

Against her. Someone wanted her dead, very quickly. How she ended up that way didn't matter.

* * *

Quatre and Dorothy had talked and held on to one another. Quatre had listened to Dorothy talk about her pain and fear, how worried she was for him, and realized he'd been selfish to think only of his own pain. He'd held her tight and fallen into deep slumber, no longer worried that he was the only one who hurt, or the only one who had to worry. 

Dorothy fell into her own dreamless sleep when Quatre's eyes drifted closed and his breath became even and shallow. Her own worries about losing him drifted far away and the post-partum depression ebbed, at least a little.

* * *

Aramis and Aquarius blew bubbles and listened to the recording of Christmas carols, talking in quiet voices about their pasts and what they wanted in the future. They talked about memories of Hilde and Gavin and Howard. How they liked their eggs and  
what they wanted their houses to look like. 

Aramis noticed that Aquarius loved Relena and she knew she was loved, and Aquarius realized that Aramis loved both of his fathers.

They knew that they'd be friends forever, no matter what.

* * *

Wu Fei told Kai Ling, who was still recovering from surgery to her thigh, aboutthe day, and she whispered comforting words to him. He realized that he loved her very much then. More than he loved his job, more than he loved martial arts. He didn't know what to do about it, except be there for her.

* * *

Lady Une twirled the golden ring on her finger. Most people thought she had put it there to ward off males. Others said it was because she was married to her job. 

Noin and Zechs knew it was from Treize.

She had loved him, and he, her. Perhaps, had he lived, they would've had their wedding, but he hadn't.

They had discussed the wedding without Lady even knowing about it. He hadasked her what she wanted in her future wedding. She had told him that such a thing would never occur, but somehow, in the way the he always did, Treize had finally gotten it out of her. She wanted roses, white ones, with tiny veins of pink. Beautiful roses and awhite satin gown. The old fashioned kinds with high lace necks and cameos.

Treize never laughed at her, only listened with serious eyes that never left her face.

During the wait, before any of the fighting had happened, Treize had contacted her through virtual screen. She remembered his face then, serious and sad. A little bit of happiness was in his smile, though.

"Lady, I know you wanted a beautiful wedding, but I might not make it through this. You are one of the only people who understands me, the only one I've had eyes for since Leia's death. I know very well that this may come as a shock, but I hope you'll honor me."

Lady had never felt that before - an inability to speak or even form a coherent thought.

Treize laughed, and she smiled.

He leaned as close as the cock-pit would allow. "I do. With all my heart and love."

Lady and smiled, wiping the only tears she had cried since childhood, nodded, and said, "I do, with all my heart as well."

Treize had dispatched his army and died.

Lady spun the ring a bit more. _Treize, I wish you were here, my love. So much is changing. _

She looked at his picture, the only picture she kept on her desk because ofconfidential reasons. It was a picture of him when they walked in the rose garden for the last time. He had brought the camera, taken many pictures of her, and asked that she take some of them together and him alone.

He smiled at her, with an unadulterated, unknowing happiness.

_My love . . .  
_

* * *

**Death 9**

Abdul, one of Quatre Rabaerba Winner's private guards went out to get the mail and died as a bullet ripped through his lungs and left an exit hole about the size of a medium pizza. He died two seconds after impact. Lung matter and blood decorated the statue of Venus, the Goddess of Love.

**Death 10**

Marian, Heero's nanny and Household Chief, was killed while gardening. A bullet through the back of the head left her face, blood, and brain tissue splattered on the squash and yams.

* * *


End file.
